127 Media, Legal and Civil Society Figures Urge Starmer to Put Anti‑SLAPP Laws in King’s Speech

Overview

• The public letter asks the prime minister to include comprehensive anti‑SLAPP provisions in the King’s Speech expected in May.
• Signatories include editors and leaders from The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Reuters, along with lawyers, academics and NGOs.
• The appeal coincides with the UK Anti‑SLAPP Coalition’s fifth anniversary.
• Campaigners argue the 2023 Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act offered only limited safeguards and say the government has advanced no new bill.
• The coalition cites research that SLAPPs are rising and that the UK is a leading originator of such cases, and The Independent has asked ministers for comment.