Lawfare

The British tradition of "free speech" is a myth, as the law of defamation has worked to cover up misbehavior by the rich and powerful. A new terror has been added through misguided judicial development of the laws of privacy, breach of confidence, and data protection to suppress the reporting of truths of public importance. This book identifies and advocates the reforms necessary to make Britain a land of free speech.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 19 January 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

The British notion of "free speech" is a misconception. The rich and powerful have been able to cover up their misbehavior thanks to the law of defamation, which has been in effect since the Middle Ages. A new terror has been added by the misguided judicial development of privacy, breach of confidence, and data protection laws, which aim to suppress the reporting of truths of public importance.

The book, written by the authors with over 50 years of experience defending journalists and editors in English and Commonwealth courtrooms, reveals the hidden world of lawfare, where authors struggle against unfair rules that put them on the defensive and against a costs burden that runs into millions. Law schools do not teach freedom of speech, and judges in the Supreme Court do not understand it.

The book identifies and advocates the reforms that will be necessary before Britain can truly boast that it is a land of free speech, rather than a place where free speech can come at a very expensive price.

Weight: 242g
Dimension: 137 x 205 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008607890