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The right to criticise (1)

01 January 1991

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The right to criticise
artdoc April=1992

Freedom of speech was upheld in the Court of Appeal in February,
by the invocation of Article 10 of the European Convention on
Human Rights. In an important decision, the Court said that local
authorities and government departments should not have the right
to sue for libel and thereby stifle legitimate public criticism
of their activities. The case arose from an article in The Times
about investments made by Derbyshire County Council and its
Labour former leader David Bookbinder. He can still sue, as an
individual, but the important principle remains that strong
criticism of Council and government department policies can be
made without fear of a writ - unless the House of Lords reverses
the decision. Independent 21.2.92

Statewatch Vol 2 No 2 March/April 1992

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