Thread by @robertsharp59

Sorry to hear of the death of Anthony Lester QC, Lord Lester of Herne Hill. When I was at @englishpen I worked with him on a number of free speech campaigns, where his voice in parliament made the difference. Here’s a quick thread. 1/7

During PEN’s ‘No Offence’ camapign Lord Lester added a clear protection for free speech into the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. He always called it “the PEN amendment.” It’s para 29J of the schedule legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/1/s… 2/7

In the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 there are provisions to take the profits if convicted criminals publish their memoirs. This is a curb on freedom of expression and public interest journalism. But a Lester amendment limited its scope. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/… 3/7

Also in the Coroners and Justice Act, a Lester amendment abolished the crimes of seditious libel and obscene libel (section 73) legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/… This was a campaign with @DrEvanHarris @article19org @IndexCensorship 4/7

And then of course, there was the #LibelReform camapign. The coalition government promised reform but it took them a while to get going. Lord Lester’s private members Bill catalysed the process.

You can see the DNA of the Defamation Act in this Bill services.parliament.uk/Bills/2010-12/… 5/7

Here he is at a PEN event to launch the Bill flic.kr/p/8eJ92D 6/7

Here’s his obituary in The Times, giving a fuller account of his life and work thetimes.co.uk/article/lord-l…