A CULTURE OF IMPUNITY



Yesterday was a day to be cheerful for anyone concerned with freedom of speech.

‘Laws that led to London being dubbed "the libel capital of the world" will be reformed after peers in the Lords voted to pass the defamation bill, ending a three-year campaign led by Liberal Democrat peers Lord McNally and Lord Lester.' Amongst other things. 'The new law will also stop cases being taken in London against journalists, academics or individuals who live outside the country, denting the libel tourism industry, but not ending it altogether, as foreigners will still be able to lodge claims in the high court.[1] 

This measure would not have been passed without the continuing pressure from the Campaign for Libel Law Reform and marks a significant victory in the ongoing struggle against the censors and gaggers, a significant victory for free speech.
There is however a sting in the tail:-

‘…the failure of a bid to bar private companies contracted to run schools, prisons or healthcare from suing ordinary citizens who criticised the work they do for the taxpayer.’ [2]


The Tories and Lib Dems combined to exclude a clause protecting citizens from defamation proceedings when criticising agencies being sub contracted by the state to carry out public functions, unless financial loss by the agency could be demonstrated.[3]
This means that large corporations being paid for services by the taxpaying public can operate in ways that are detrimental to the public interest safe in the knowledge that they have our draconian libel laws in their armoury.
This is no mere dry academic concern. To see what happens when a private company is let loose in the NHS, safe in the knowledge that it can gag whistle-blowers and effectively operate within a culture of impunity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/23/who-will-hold-nhs-contractors-to-account

The full hearing of the Public accounts Committee can be viewed here.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13015

 A slogan from my youth. THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!

NB
Much is said, and I have said some of it, about the decline of the press and the supplanting of traditional news media by the new media, twitter, Facebook, the Blogosphere. The reality though is I could not operate this Blog without access to, amongst others, the magnificent news gathering agency that is The Guardian newspaper, which I pillage unmercifully. A healthy civic society cannot operate without such a free press and a way of paying for it needs to be quickly established. 



1. Guardian 24/04/13
2. Ibid
3. Local authorities are already prevented from suing citizens who criticize their work under what is known as the Derbyshire Principle. 



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