An anti-SLAPP Private Members’ Bill is due to be introduced into both Houses of Parliament. The Rt. Hon. Baroness Stowell of Beeston introduced the bill to the House of Lords and the Rt. Hon. Sir John Whittingdale introduced the bill in the House of Commons. The bill is evidence of cross-chamber support and seeks to provide stronger and more robust protections against SLAPPs.
There had been a SLAPP bill that had received cross-party support and had been brought by Wayne David MP in 2024, but the announcement of an early election by the then PM Rishi Sunak meant that the Bill was scrapped.
Members of the Labour government and party have been vocal in stating that SLAPPs are an issue that require addressing For example, David Lammy reiterated that ‘we cannot allow the rich and powerful to use their resources to stop proper investigation, and I will be bringing forward legislation as soon as time allows’. When he took office as PM, Sir Keir Starmer also reiterated support towards tackling SLAPPs, writing in The Guardian about the importance of press freedom.
While there has been vocal support towards tackling SLAPPs, the private members bill that has been introduced is the first step towards trying to tackle the issue.
The draft bill introduced by Lady Stowell allows defendants facing defamation and libel suits to ask a judge to dismiss the case early. This early dismissal mechanism will come into play if the defendant can prove that their reporting relates to a matter of public interest. If their case is dismissed then they can also be awarded costs and penalties can be imposed on claimants who cause delays. It would also repeal sections 194 and 195 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. The full bill can be read here. Sir Whittingdale’s bill is due to be debated in November.