Comments on: Simon Singh has appeal!

By: Gary Sidebottom

Gary Sidebottom — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:31:12 +0000

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8621880.stm

Good news for Simon – the BCA has dropped its libel action against Simon!

By: Halcyon Dayz

Halcyon Dayz — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:37:17 +0000

Unstranger – “Strange country the UK. Laws are sometimes far more important than the citizen.”

Without the Rule Of Law there would be no citizens. Just subjects.
The judiciary doesn’t get to pick and choose which laws to uphold.

By: Rolfe

Rolfe — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:19:04 +0000

Please quit with this “UK libel laws” stuff.

The libel laws being complained of are those of England and Wales. Scotland, also part of the UK, is a separate jurisdiction.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:11:19 +0000

Can anyone tell me why Simon Singh singled out the BCA when the UK regulator and two other profesional representative associations in the UK were making the same claims?

By: Crudely Wrott

Crudely Wrott — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:46:51 +0000

Another data point indicative of the continued presence of rational thought at large in the world. A welcome development.

By: Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:13:26 +0000

The libel laws of England and Wales have a long reach: anyone who writes something that is published there is open to a suit. That’s why reform is so necessary and why support for the reform campaign is so desperately needed. Please see http://www.libelreform.org for details.

We are trying to get 100,000 signatures to put pressure on the politicians (more susceptible for the next few weeks since there’s an election). Anyone can sign and everyone should, since you’re all vulnerable! Please sign at http://www.libelreform.org/sign

By: Your name here

Your name here — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:46:29 +0000

WOOT! Science gets another chance!

By: jcm

jcm — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:11:20 +0000

I suppose it is too early to celebrate.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:46:02 +0000

“Any sufficiently contested fact is indistinguishable from opinion.”

(Which is pretty much the whole of the Birthers strategy.)

By: Larian LeQuella

Larian LeQuella — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:59:14 +0000

What? No tip o’ the cracked spine? I posted this on your blog as soon as I saw it!

And yes, this was good news indeed, and thanks for pointing over to Rebecca, I love readig her style!

By: Alex in Fredericton

Alex in Fredericton — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:32:46 +0000

I think the funniest thing I saw on April Fools Day was the reply from the BCA. Especially this part “Our original argument remains that our reputation
has been damaged. To reiterate, the BCA brought this claim only to uphold its good
name and protect its reputation, honesty and integrity.”
Hilarious! I can just imagine how much they were laughing when they posted this one!

By: Sticks

Sticks — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:55:31 +0000

We all need to be careful what we say here, Phil included, because if it can be read in the UK then it comes under our libel laws, so I would like to say what good upstanding people the BCA are

So please don’t sue me

By: Jeff in Tucson

Jeff in Tucson — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:24:22 +0000

The more the BCA fights this case, the more they look like a-holes. That’s bad publicity, and is likely to hurt their business. You don’t want potential customers thinking that you are a mean bully. The best possible course of action for them is to cut their losses as soon as possible by dropping the suit. Even if they do eventually win, their reputation will be forever damaged by this debacle. Here’s hoping that Simon wins, but even if he doesn’t, the BCA will have lost quite a bit of credibility anyway.

By: unstranger

unstranger — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:22:57 +0000

Strange country the UK. Laws are sometimes far more important than the citizen. The judiciary can maintain that as they are a protected species.

By: Pieter Kok

Pieter Kok — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:14:03 +0000

Apparently, the reform of UK libel laws, announced just two weeks ago by Jack Straw, has just been scrapped.

By: Gary Ansorge

Gary Ansorge — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:13:56 +0000

Amazing how such a tiny remnant of a once great empire can still have such a chilling effect on science reporting.

Raising a toast to Simon Singe and all those who have supported him(since that includes me, I’ll have to make that a double,,,hic,,,).

Keep up the good reporting, Phil.

Gary 7

By: CafeenMan

CafeenMan — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:46:33 +0000

Except that what he said isn’t an “opinion”. It’s a fact.

By: Plutonium being from Pluto

Plutonium being from Pluto — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:20:04 +0000

Great news & spot on write-up BA!

Here’s hoping justice prevails – & Simon Singh’s appeal succeeds & the horrible UK libel laws get the long-overdue reform required.