This week, several of the mainstream newspapers including the Daily Mail have covered an interesting story that certain individuals are calling for changes in the law in order to stop so-called 'libel tourists'.
These are wealthy individuals from across the world who come to the UK to use our courts' stringent libel laws to silence their critics.
The Daily Mail has a quote from an individual who believes English libel law imposes massive restrictions on free speech and this is being exploited more and more by people who can afford to do it.
Some American newspapers are even considering stopping the sale of copies in Britain and blocking their websites to UK readers.
One example I found involved Cameron Diaz and the publication the National Enquirer. In 2005 Diaz won an out-of-court settlement (for 'substantial' damages) after the magazine claimed Diaz was cheating on her then boyfriend Justin Timberlake.
The publication couldn't have been sued in the US under its libel laws but in the UK the case for libel stood.
Pressure groups English PEN and Index on Censorship believe that a rule to ensure London courts cant have a say in a case unless 10 percent of the publication's current circulation is in England.
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