Lib Dems fight attempts to gag reporting of parliament (Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats)

Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats <info@oxwablibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems fight attempts to gag reporting of parliament

October 21, 2009 9:14 AM
Originally published by Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats

Dr Evan Harris, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon

Liberal Democrat Science Spokesperson and MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Dr Evan Harris, has secured a debate on libel law and the reporting of parliamentary proceedings following Carter Ruck's alleged attempts to gag The Guardian from reporting details of a Parliamentary Question. The debate will take place today (Wednesday 21 October) in Westminster Hall from 2.30 to 4.00 p.m.

Dr Harris said: "There is a lot of concern in Parliament and in the media over the impact of English law on freedom of expression, but the people who should be most concerned are the general public. Powerful interests are able to exploit our legal system in order to prevent public interest matters - such as the dumping of toxic waste, or the evidence for the benefit of chiropractice on children's health - being discussed. The Government needs to do something about this instead of letting the public continue to be blinded by secretive injunctions and draconian libel suits."

At the Liberal Democrat national conference in September, the eminent scientist Prof Richard Dawkins, an Oxfordshire resident, successfully proposed an amendment to a motion on Human Rights, drawing attention to the malign effect of legal manoeuvres by wealthy individuals and organisations on scientific debate and research in the UK.

The amendment called for: "The protection of freedom of expression, by reforming the libel laws in England and Wales to ensure that a better balance is provided between free speech, responsible journalism, scientific discourse and the public interest on the one hand and powerful corporations, wealthy individuals and vested interests on the other."

The motion also called for the banning of "mosquito" devices on grounds that they discriminate unfairly against young people; the regulation of CCTV devices; and the removal of DNA details of innocent people from the police database. It can be read in full at:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/conference_news_detail.aspx?title=Policy_Motion%3a_Standing_Up_for_Civil_Liberties_-_carried&pPK=8cca2cac-052e-4b11-93b5-6540295b9da3