It is fantastic news that John Gray and Alex Hilton have won their libel case. My last post supporting them drew a response which I link to as I believe in the right of reply. I think many issues that end up in libel actions would often be better addressed by a prompt right of reply, especially with blogging and the internet where immediacy is important. John and Alex’s case has in fact, taken two years – far too long by any standards.
David Allen Green who helped represent John and Alex summarises the situation on his excellent Jack of Kent blog
“The villain in all this is not the Claimant. It is the libel system in this country that allows claims like this to get so far. If the claim is struck out today it will be because a specialist libel lawyer was able to put together a highly sophisticated submission which would have been beyond even a generalist media lawyer (like me), let alone a litigant in person. And if it not struck out, then we have a system of libel which allows bloggers who have done nothing wrong to be sued to the point of potential bankruptcy.”
I am pleased they have won, but know others are still threatened by a law that needs urgent reform.
Filed under: Labour Party | Tagged: John Gray, Alex Hilton, David Allen Green, libel law
