Comments on: Write to Your MP about our Libel Laws http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html Experiments and Thoughts on Quackery, Health Beliefs and Pseudoscience Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:47:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: jdc325 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6797 jdc325 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:22:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6797 Anyone had a response from their MP? I got an email saying "I appreciate the point you make but I actually believe they are probably about right. We need to balance the desire for free spech and comment with the need to protect people from having their reputation falsely destroyed. Due to potential costs it is often difficult for members of the public to defend themsemves against false allegations."<br/><br/>He seems to miss the point that due to potential costs it is often difficult for members of the public to make factual points or to have their say. Defending a spurious libel case could be costly indeed. It cost the Guardian £500,000 to defend themselves against Matthias Rath and hopefully recompense will be forthcoming, but not everyone will get their costs paid. It would be a shame if people were unable to responsibly exercise their right to free speech because of restrictive libel laws placing the onus on them to prove they haven't defamed someone. Anyone had a response from their MP? I got an email saying “I appreciate the point you make but I actually believe they are probably about right. We need to balance the desire for free spech and comment with the need to protect people from having their reputation falsely destroyed. Due to potential costs it is often difficult for members of the public to defend themsemves against false allegations.”

He seems to miss the point that due to potential costs it is often difficult for members of the public to make factual points or to have their say. Defending a spurious libel case could be costly indeed. It cost the Guardian £500,000 to defend themselves against Matthias Rath and hopefully recompense will be forthcoming, but not everyone will get their costs paid. It would be a shame if people were unable to responsibly exercise their right to free speech because of restrictive libel laws placing the onus on them to prove they haven’t defamed someone.

]]> By: Svetlana Pertsovich http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6781 Svetlana Pertsovich Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:23:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6781 It is quite right idea! And it is necessary to do it for sure, because it is an action of international importance too. Our Russian parliamentarians (and not only our ones) started to think sometimes about elaboration of libel law. It is possible this law could be useful, but (!!!) if its text is clever and righteous! But there are some stupid "parrots" and "monkeys" among them, who likes to mimic most bad world examples :( It is important to abolish your obsolete Britain libel laws. Then the stupid heads among our parliamentarians (and in other countries) will lose one of bad examples for their "parroting" and "playing the ape".<br/>Moreover, it is known, that rich villains from different countries come to Britain to use your libel laws in their legal wars against good people. Certainly, it is necessary to deprive them of this possibility - to take away this weapon from them. It is quite right idea! And it is necessary to do it for sure, because it is an action of international importance too. Our Russian parliamentarians (and not only our ones) started to think sometimes about elaboration of libel law. It is possible this law could be useful, but (!!!) if its text is clever and righteous! But there are some stupid “parrots” and “monkeys” among them, who likes to mimic most bad world examples :( It is important to abolish your obsolete Britain libel laws. Then the stupid heads among our parliamentarians (and in other countries) will lose one of bad examples for their “parroting” and “playing the ape”.
Moreover, it is known, that rich villains from different countries come to Britain to use your libel laws in their legal wars against good people. Certainly, it is necessary to deprive them of this possibility – to take away this weapon from them.

]]> By: jdc325 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6774 jdc325 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:55:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6774 Incidentally, Devil's Kitchen had some interesting stuff from the Ministry of Truth blog about web hosts being nominal publishers of third party content (that might have been relevant to your blog not so long ago). <a HREF="http://devilskitchen.me.uk/2007/09/directing-action-against-uk-libel-laws.html" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Here</a>. Incidentally, Devil’s Kitchen had some interesting stuff from the Ministry of Truth blog about web hosts being nominal publishers of third party content (that might have been relevant to your blog not so long ago). Here.

]]> By: Dr* T http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6773 Dr* T Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:20:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6773 Excellent plan, Duckman. Excellent plan, Duckman.

]]> By: Robert Newson http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6772 Robert Newson Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:42:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6772 Just emailed my MP. Very good idea! Just emailed my MP. Very good idea!

]]> By: jdc325 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6770 jdc325 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:57:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/09/write-to-your-mp-about-our-libel-laws.html#comment-6770 Brilliant, brilliant idea LCN - I'm going to email mine ASAP. Thank you for posting this. Brilliant, brilliant idea LCN – I’m going to email mine ASAP. Thank you for posting this.

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