“Yet again, anti-SLAPP provisions are missing from the King’s Speech. We all stand to lose out”, 13 May 2026

Today, during the King’s Speech, which marked the State Opening of Parliament and outlined the Government’s agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session, King Charles included a number of commitments across a wide range of policy areas. However,  there was one key topic obvious in its omission – protecting British courts against the type of abusive lawsuits that drain court resources and silence public interest speech – Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs). 

Without any commitment made today, the Government is not expected to bring forward anti-SLAPP provisions in the next legislative session… this omission is deeply disappointing and represents a significant missed opportunity...

Yet the status quo leaves everyone vulnerable to the types of legal abuse that can remove public speech or ensure it never sees the light of day in the first place… The absence of any commitment today will have long-term and deeply troubling consequences for the sort of public interest speech and civic engagement that makes democracy possible.

As the government has ceded leadership on this issue, the Coalition calls on MPs from all parties, as well as peers in the House of Lords, to make a stand for free expression, the civic space and the ability of everyone to express themselves freely by bringing forward a Private Members’ Bill to establish the much-needed protections.