WESTMINSTER — Conservative MP John Whittingdale presented a bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday aimed at combating strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). This follows a draft bill published Tuesday by Tina Stowell in the House of Lords. Both were introduced within 24 hours by Conservative members.

Whittingdale, the MP for Maldon and former culture secretary, stated that SLAPPs represent an misuse of the legal system. He said, "Strategic lawsuits against public participation represent an abuse of the legal system and for too long have been used by the rich and powerful to suppress legitimate investigative journalism and to muzzle free expression." His bill is scheduled for parliamentary debate in November.

Stowell, a former BBC communications chief and leader of the House of Lords, said, "The attack on free speech represented by Slapps is a stain on our legal system and a threat to a functioning democracy. For too long British courts have been used to hush up unethical behaviour and corporate abuses." Stowell's draft legislation permits defendants in libel suits and other civil actions to request early judicial dismissal if the lawsuit concerns a matter of public interest. The draft bill also authorizes courts to award costs to defendants whose cases are dismissed and to penalize plaintiffs who intentionally delay legal proceedings.

The Ministry of Justice will provide drafting advice and previously expressed frustration that comparable measures were excluded from the king's speech. Labour ministers support the proposed legislation. In October 2024, Keir Starmer pledged to take action against court procedures he described as abusive. Legislative progress is an early stage due to internal political discussions regarding Starmer's party leadership.

Susan Coughtrie, co-chair of the UK Anti-Slapps Coalition, said, "Now we have the opportunity to turn this support into robust, accessible and universal protections for everyone, ensuring justice is available to all, not just those who can afford it. Left unaddressed, Slapps allow bad-faith actors to control and restrict the information available to the public, impacting our knowledge of the world around us. As a result, protections, such as those announced this week, not only protect the person speaking out but the public interest information that sustains democracy."

Legal trials for defamation-type claims can cost up to £1 million per party in attorney fees, with the losing party typically paying the winning party's legal costs. The UK government has not introduced its own legislation concerning strategic lawsuits. In 2023, the Conservative party enacted legislation providing limited protections for individuals reporting economic crimes, including money laundering. This 2023 legislation excludes protections related to human rights issues. Courts in multiple U.S. states possess broad authority to dismiss frivolous lawsuits. In 2024, the E.U. published a directive addressing strategic lawsuits, which does not apply to criminal cases. E.U. member states have delayed transposing this directive into national law. The E.U. directive enables citizens of member states sued in foreign jurisdictions to contest those claims within E.U. courts.