Britain to reform laws to deter ‘libel tourism’

BRITAIN’S plaintiff- friendly libel laws have become an international embarrassment, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said yesterday, vowing to change rules that have made the country a “libel tourism” destination for angry corporations and foreign celebrities.

In a speech on civil liberties, Clegg said the existing laws, which place the burden of proof on defendants, have a chilling effect on journalism and scientific debate.

It is “simply not right when academics and journalists are effectively bullied into silence” by the prospect of costly legal battles, he said.