Labour Delays Legislation to Tackle Intimidation Tactics by Oligarchs
Labour has decided to postpone measures aimed at addressing frivolous lawsuits brought by oligarchs and others to silence journalists, academics, and campaigners. Frederick Ponsonby, a Labour justice minister in the House of Lords, expressed uncertainty about introducing specific legislation to combat strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as Slapps, stating the need to balance outlawing abusive Slapps while ensuring access to justice for legitimate claims.
The government plans to review the issue, following calls from MPs like Rishi Sunak and David Lammy to ban Slapps, especially in cases involving scrutiny of Russian oligarchs. Despite previous attempts to outlaw Slapps, there are still concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed legislation.
While stakeholders push for action to tackle Slapps, no concrete timeline for separate legislation has been confirmed. The debate continues in Parliament, with pressure mounting to address the issue and prevent the abuse of legal processes for intimidation.