Richard Dawkins Condemns British Libel Laws

Scientists are operating in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty because libel laws biased in favour of the plaintiff are making them wary of challenging bogus claims about health products, Richard Dawkins has claimed. Dawkins told the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth that scientists should settle their differences in the lab, not in court, and that libel laws that made it too easy for people to be sued could have disastrous consequences for the public interest. He condemned the way London had become the libel capital of the world and backed Liberal Democrat proposals that were approved by the conference for the libel laws to be reformed to provide a better balance in favour of free speech