After a succession of egregious examples, there is widespread agreement that something must be done about the malign phenomenon of strategic lawsuits against public participation, also known as Slapps. If it sounds arcane, it isn’t: it affects us all, in terms of what we say, publish and read, as well as how we make public policy. Last year, the Solicitors Regulation Authority defined the Slapp as “the misuse of the legal system, and the bringing or threatening of proceedings, in order to discourage public criticism or action”.
Three months ago, Wayne David, Labour MP for Caerphilly, introduced as a private members’ bill, the strategic litigation against public participation bill to “make provision about the misuse of litigation to suppress freedom of speech”. A second Commons reading takes place on Friday.
