A new public interest defence for responsible journalism will be included in reforms to be brought forward if Labour wins the election.
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, said that ministers were convinced that libel law reform in England and Wales was needed amid concern that existing legislation had a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
In a Commons written statement, he said that the Government would set out its proposals for change in a draft Bill to be published early in the new parliament.
A curb on foreign libel claimants using English courts in the hope of big payouts is also being considered. This will include seeking a tightening of the rules whereby the courts permission is required to serve defamation cases outside England and Wales. This would help head off inappropriate claims at the earliest stage and stop them from reaching court.
Related LinksFair commentWrestling with the libel hydraIslamic cartoon row is latest case of libel tourismOther measures could include the introduction of a single publication rule which would mean that libel claims would have to be launched within a year of the original publication.
Mark Stephens, a media lawyer with Finers Stephens Innocent, said: We like to think of ourselves as an advanced liberal democracy, but these are welcome and much needed reforms go some way towards addressing the concerns expressed by the UN Human Rights Committee Concluding Observations, as to the UK"s failure to comply with international minimum standards of free speech.
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