Introducing Anti-SLAPP Legislation

Investigative journalism and public scrutiny are essential to a healthy democracy. Yet, for years, wealthy elites and corporations have used the courts as a playground to silence their critics. Through SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), abusive legal threats and crippling cost demands are deployed to force journalists, whistleblowers, and campaigners to drop legitimate public interest stories.

While limited anti-SLAPP protections exist for reporting on economic crime, the vast majority of public interest topics - from environmental pollution and corporate safety failures to sexual harassment and corruption - remain completely unprotected. Pre-court intimidation has a devastating impact, leaving the truth hidden behind deep pockets.

Liberal Democrats believe nobody should be able to use vast sums of money to silence legitimate public scrutiny. Today, Liberal Democrat members passed a decisive policy calling for comprehensive, universal anti-SLAPP legislation to uphold media freedom and defend equal access to justice.

Our new policy calls on the Government to:

• Pass Universal Anti-SLAPP Legislation: Extend statutory protections, early dismissal procedures, and costs protection to all cases involving matters of public interest, not just economic crime.
   
• Introduce an Early Filter Mechanism: Empower courts to swiftly identify and throw out abusive SLAPP claims before defendants are forced into ruinous legal expenses.
   
• Punish Abusive Claimants: Give courts the power to impose heavy financial penalties on those bringing SLAPPs to deter future litigation abuse and fully compensate targeted defendants.
   
• Sanction Unethical Law Firms: Strengthen the regulatory powers of professional standards bodies like the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to crack down on law firms that engage in aggressive, abusive litigation tactics.
   
• Improve Legal Support for Targets: Expand access to affordable legal advice and support for journalists, whistleblowers, and local campaigners facing corporate legal threats.

Despite repeated promises, the Labour Government has failed to introduce comprehensive anti-SLAPP laws, leaving critics vulnerable to legal bullying.

Freedom of speech and democratic accountability must belong to everyone, not just those who can afford a team of high-priced lawyers. The Liberal Democrats are standing up for investigative reporting, protecting whistleblowers, and ensuring our legal system can no longer be weaponized to hide the truth.