Diplomatic Incident…Stephen Fry called to explain Channel 4 News comments to Polish ambassador

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Based on article from telegraph.co.uk

Stephen Fry has been summoned to the Polish embassy in London on Monday to provide the ambassador with an explanation of his supposedly offensive comments last month about about Auschwitz. Yes, he is having lunch at the embassy, confirms a spokesman for the Polish ambassador, Barbara Tuge-Erecinska. This meeting is connected to Mr Fry’s remarks on Channel 4. They will discuss a range of issues. In a debate about the Conservatives’ links with Poland’s Law and Justice party, Fry appeared to accuse Polish Catholics of being complicit in the Final Solution . Remember which side of the border Auschwitz was on, he said. The Polish embassy had accused Stephen Fry of slander after he suggested Poles had played a role in the Holocaust. He made the comments on Channel 4 news while talking about the Conservative Party’s links with Poland’s Law and Justice party. The party has members that have faced accusations of anti-Semitism and homophobia, and Fry appeared to hint that Poland may hold some responsibility for the mass murder of European Jews. Let’s face it, there has been a history in Poland of right-wing Catholicism, which has been deeply disturbing for those of us who know a little history, and remember which side of the border Auschwitz was on, he said.

Curtailing Tourism…Lord Lester is drawing up a defamation reform bill

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Based on article from business.timesonline.co.uk

Lord Lester, the leading human rights barrister, is drawing up a defamation reform bill, which would prevent lawyers pocketing excessive fees and would also stop foreigners with tenuous links to this country from using British libel laws to silence critics. Last week Jack Straw, the justice secretary, signalled that Labour would support reform. Lester, a Liberal Democrat peer who has been consulting senior figures in all parties, believes that his moderate package will secure widespread support and wants a package of proposals available for whoever wins the election. His bill would: Reform the system of no-win no-fee litigation which makes it cheap for people to bring libel actions but expensive for publications to defend themselves. End the principle of multiple publication which means that internet sites can be sued over old, archived articles and instead introduce a single publication rule as in the United States. Prevent foreigners from suing in the British courts unless they can demonstrate that they have suffered real harm in Britain. Give publications a stronger defence against legal action if they can demonstrate that the article was in the public interest. Lester said he also wanted to end the imposition of cash damages where someone successfully sues. Instead, he insisted that in most cases an apology from the publication should be enough.