libel

What did Michelle Mone mean when she said all she’d done was “lie to the press“ after she threatened journalists with lawsuits if they dared to investigate her story?

Today we follow all the unanswered questions - is our defamation law serving the public?

What did the government know about the missing Mone millions?

And should she still sit in the House of Lords?

Tax Lawyer Dan Neidle and Labour shadow minister Nick Thomas-Symonds join us.

After that, we speak to former UK Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher on the horror and pain that the war between Israel and Hamas continues to inflict on all those affected; and is Jon Sopel running a covert cannabis farm in his basement?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon & Shane Fennelly

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This week the editors of The Times and The Sunday Times wrote to the justice secretary, calling for a crackdown on the misuse of libel laws by the super-rich. Together with more than 60 editors, reporters and lawyers, they called for a specific law to address Slapps – strategic lawsuits against public participation.

In this bonus Saturday episode, we’re listening back to a conversation with Times Media’s editorial legal director Pia Sarma, first broadcast in January, in which she argues it's time to restore the balance between rich claimants and journalists pursuing the truth.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director, Times Media.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk 

Read more: 'Editors call for anti-Slapp law to protect investigative journalism' https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/editors-call-for-anti-slapp-law-to-protect-investigative-journalism-wxhjt0kfc

Clips: Times Radio, France 24, Parliament TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Until recently the term Slapp – strategic lawsuit against public participation – meant very little. But yesterday in parliament, an MP introduced a bill to ban what he called "legal gangsterism" – attempts by the rich and powerful to use the legal system to stifle journalistic investigations. The Times and Sunday Times' editorial legal director Pia Sarma argues it's time to restore the balance between rich claimants and journalists pursuing the truth.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director, Times Media.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, France 24, Parliament TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.