The irony for the press is that now they are shouting about protecting their own freedom of expression under Article 10 of The European Convention, particularly after Max Mosley’s privacy case, while at the same time censoring other information for fear of a libel claim as they did in McLibel.

I have seen this in my own dealings with the press. Their refusal to either give me a right of reply or accurately report what happened was shocking to me as an American. They seemed to be afraid that one of the other parties to the story, Bruno Schroder of Schroders plc, a wealthy City grandee, might sue them for libel. This was despite my being able to support everything I said with either privileged court documents or court orders.

They would rather libel me than deal with a potential libel claim from him that would have gotten nowhere in any event. This is madness and I could not believe it. Not that he would have sued. He is not litigious. It is the people around him who are litigious.

I was left with no choice but to issue libel claims that have been stymied by costs orders, despite my being the claimant with an obvious libel that I could prove with a few court orders. I say this even though I do not have the burden of proof as the claimant.

This brings me to Lord Jackson’s review on costs. Atleast he recommends changes that the claimant should not have to pay the defendants’ costs. There are glimmers of hope and sanity in this madness. One thing is for sure, even as a claimant, justice is hard to come by in England’s libel courts.