Libel Reform Celebration

Last Wednesday evening I was invited to take part in an event organised by the Libel Reform campaigners to celebrate the Defamation Act which received Royal Assent in April.

This Act has been achieved very much against the odds and is a real victory for free speech, reasoned argument and citizen power.

It has still not been "enacted" and there are concerns that much of the detail on regulations and procedures have not been clarified. Also Northern Ireland needs to ensure that citizens have the same protection as elsewhere. But the Libel Reform campaign has been incredibly successful in such a short period of time (2009). There is still more to do of course.

I met my old blogging mucker, fellow Labour Party loyalist and Libel Survivor Dave Osler in the Betsey Trotwood Pub beforehand. At the event (next door at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon, London) itself we met up with Alex Hilton (see photo right) and Libel freedom fighters David Allen Green,  Robert Dougans and Nick Cohen.

After the event we retired back to the Betsey to continue putting our world to rights. Interestingly, Dave Osler is going to provide me with evidence that Trotsky was actually all the long a mixed economy reformist - just like me :)

(sorry picture is a little flat but surprisingly cannot find anything better on internet to pinch)

"Defamation Bill agreed by Parliament" Hip, Hip Hooray!

Great news! I received this email this evening. Well done to everyone involved in getting rid (mostly) of this nasty, vindictive, unjust, unfair and horrible stain on the whole British judicial process. 

I hope they are celebrating:)

(for details of picture see here)

"Dear Friends

We have some great news to share. The Defamation Bill has been agreed by Parliament and is now just waiting for Royal Assent, which will probably happen today, before becoming an Act of Parliament. This is undoubtedly down to all of your hard work with us over the last few years and you all deserve a huge thank you!

Below are some of the reactions from some of the Libel Reform Campaign supporters. You can read more here: http://www.libelreform.org/news

Tracey Brown, Director, Sense About Science said: “A campaign of small organisations, thousands of individuals and good parliamentarians has achieved changes that were denied to citizens for a century. We can now decide to publish based on ‘is it true’, not ‘will they sue’.”

Kirsty Hughes, Chief Executive, Index on Censorship said: “We now have a Defamation Bill that will strengthen freedom of expression, end the global chill from libel tourism and restrict corporations from suing citizen critics.”

Jo Glanville, Director, English PEN said: “This has been a remarkable campaign that has united politicians and campaigners to reform a law that had become an international embarrassment. The chill has had an impact on anyone speaking out in the public interest - from scientists to bloggers - so this is good news for freedom of speech in the UK.”

Dr Evan Harris, Libel Reform Campaign parliamentary adviser said: “As someone involved the campaign from the start, and from inside and outside Parliament, I can see what an achievement it is to achieve this reform.”

Simon Singh, science writer and defendant in BCA v Singh said: “This is an extraordinary story of cross party collaboration, fired up by a grass roots campaign, backed by everyone from nerds to Mumsnet, which includes mums who are also nerds.”

Justine Roberts, CEO and co-founder of parenting forum Mumsnet said:“It's not perfect, and of course we don't yet have the full detail on how the regulations will deal with publication on the internet. But we applaud the hard work of everyone involved, and are very happy to have been a part of this much-needed reform.”

Charmian Gooch, Director, Global Witness said: “The passage of the Defamation Bill is a long overdue victory in the campaign to reform the UK’s outdated and repressive libel laws.”

You can also read our initial analysis of the Bill (PDF)

We're going to arrange a bit of a gathering to get supporters and champions of the campaign together to celebrate this wonderful accomplishment and let you know what needs to happen next. We all still need to keep the pressure on to make sure the new law is enacted as soon as possible, clear and robust regulations are published, new Civil Procedure Rules are issued and most importantly we need to tell those who try and silence free speech through that libel they can't get away with it any more.

We'll be in touch with more details soon!

Síle & Mike

Information: www.libelreform.org"

SWP: Something is seriously rotten in the state of LaLa land

I think most folk know that I'm no friend of the Trotsky Revolutionary sect, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), but the latest scandal they are embroiled in is just breath taking.

One of its junior female members made a complaint of rape against a longstanding member of its Central Executive Committee.

Instead of insisting that this member should report this very serious crime to the Police, they agreed that an internal "Disputes Committee" made up largely of friends and senior colleagues of the the alleged perpetrater  should "investigate" the complaint.  To no ones surprise they found (6-1) the case against "Comrade Delta" (a well known SWP Central Committee activist and reputed to be a violent thug) was "not proven".

Check out the report in "Socialist Unity" (who broke the story), "The Independent" and "Dave Osler" blog.

While I fully accept that the Police and the Crime Prosecution Service have in the past treated some rape victims shamefully and the Jimmy Saville debacle shows that powerful men can get away with a life of crime. I cannot for a second accept that an internal "investigation" by any organisation into such serious allegations is acceptable, never mind that the investigation panel comprised of mates and colleagues of the accused. How dare they think that they are better than an independent jury of 12 of your peers.

Is this a case of history repeating itself? In the picture above is Gerry Healy, the former leader of the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP). Healey was eventually found to be a serial rapist and sexual abuser who for years was protected from accusations. The WRP collapsed after the discovery that its leader was a rapist and afterwards the SWP took its place as the "main" Trotsky sect in the UK.

Is there something in the essential DNA of these tiny ultra left sects and cults that make them prone to its leading men treating women as dirt? 

Class: Parliamentary Launch "Why Equality Matters"

Collage is from the Parliamentary launch last Wednesday evening of "Class" The "Centre for Labour and Social Studies". A new "left" think tank.

The launch featured its latest report "Why Equality Matters". Which is a more populist and accessible version of the book "The Spirit Level - Why Equality is better for everyone". 

The meeting was packed with loads of Labour MPs. Including Stephen Timms from East Ham.

Steve Hart from Unite chaired the meeting, Emily Thornberry MP spoke first, then we had John Trickett MP, Owen Jones, Professor Richard Wilkinson and new TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady. Check out my twittering here on the event (31 Oct).

I asked the question about whether we were really preaching to the converted here tonight when we should be asking what actual policies will be needed to bring about a more equal society. Should we be honest with the electorate, that everyone will have to pay more in taxes not just the super rich, to bring about a society that benefits everyone? (such as truly affordable housing and childcare)

Owen Jones responded by saying that at first we we need to start with a tax on the rich and make sure that they do not evade their taxes, then we could be more ambitious. The wealth of the Sunday Times "Rich List" has grown during this "recession" by more than the total sum of the deficit.

Frances O'Grady was fiery and passionate in her response. Growth in real wages is key in reducing inequality and recession. UK companies have reduced wages and accumulated £750 billion in reserves. No wonder we have no demand in our economy.

Afterwards I met up with my best ever blogging mate, Dave Stroppy, (nee Osler) and we went with UNISON comrades to sort the world out at the Red Lion.

Middle picture hat tip Seph Brown