A group of media lawyers, including newspaper general counsel and KCs, have put their names to an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for stronger anti-SLAPP provisions. The letter marked the fifth anniversary of the UK Anti-SLAPP coalition, launched to combat abusive lawsuits, often described as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs, that aim to stifle public criticism. The open letter was signed by 127 editors, lawyers, academics, journalists, publishers and civil society representatives and calls for universal anti-SLAPP provisions in the 2026 King’s Speech, which is expected in May. The anti-SLAPPs law should have an effective early dismissal mechanism, an objective test for filtering SLAPPs out of court, and the ability for judges to minimise costs and penalise bad conduct. In a statement, the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition said: “A commitment to stamp out SLAPPs is a commitment to ensuring British justice remains a level playing field.