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Sticks & stones

10 October 2025 / Nicholas Dobson
Issue: 8134 / Categories: Features , Defamation , Libel , Media
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Defamation matters, but claimants need to prove they have suffered serious reputational harm: Nicholas Dobson
  • In Hegab v The Spectator (1828) Ltd, an article published in The Spectator was found to be defamatory of the claimant at common law.
  • But the court found that it caused no serious harm to the claimant’s reputation, and was in any event substantially true and not materially inaccurate.

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ was once a common riposte by children expressing apparent indifference to taunts, insults and verbal abuse. As the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) noted from the Christian Recorder of 22 March 1862: ‘Remember the old adage… True courage consists in doing what is right, despite the jeers and sneers of our companions.’

But if the old maxim is still used in the dangerous age of cancel culture—where even careful talk can cost livelihoods—defamation (with its long history, going back at least to the Statute of Westminster 1275) remains alive and well, giving authors

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Manchester firm strengthens Court of Protection expertise with partner hire

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Agricultural law team expands with senior director appointments

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Firm announces appointment of chief legal officer

NEWS
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB) has restated a fundamental truth, writes John Gould, chair of Russell-Cooke, in this week's NLJ: only authorised persons can conduct litigation. The decision sparked alarm, but Gould stresses it merely confirms the Legal Services Act 2007
The government’s decision to make the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the Single Professional Services Supervisor marks a watershed in the UK’s fight against money laundering, says Rebecca Hughes of Corker Binning in this week's NLJ. The FCA will now oversee 60,000 firms across legal and accountancy sectors—a massive expansion of remit that raises questions over resources and readiness 
The High Court's decision in Parfitt v Jones [2025] EWHC 1552 (Ch) provided a striking reminder of the need to instruct the right expert in retrospective capacity assessments, says Ann Stanyer of Wedlake Bell in NLJ this week
Paige Coulter of Quinn Emanuel reports on the UK’s first statutory definition of SLAPPs under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023in NLJ this week
NLJ columnist Stephen Gold dives into the quirks of civil practice, from the Court of Appeal’s fierce defence of form N510 to fresh reminders about compliance and interest claims, in this week's Civil Way
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