Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation

Viscount Colville of Culross Excerpts

Wednesday 24th July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)]

I agree with everything that my noble friend has said. I cannot make a commitment to a stand-alone Bill, but there is nevertheless an urgent need for legislation. My noble friend may be interested to know that the number of Russian litigants appearing in judgments from the Commercial Court has more than halved in the year to March 2024, falling to 27 from a record high of 58. We believe that that is a result of the successful UK sanctions regime taking effect.

[Viscount Colville of Culross (CB)]

My Lords, to build on the question from the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, surely it would be better for a judge to be able to infer the intention of a SLAPP litigant based on their actions, rather than, as happens at present, having to infer the litigant’s state of mind, which is so hard to determine.