The volume deals with vital issues on freedom of expression and freedom of information and emphasizes the importance of the free exchange and dissemination of ideas and of open, and therefore more accountable, government. It notes the ways in which these freedoms have received recent legislative attention in the Human Rights Act 1998, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Bill. Articles on subjects such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly; defamation of the state and of politicians; harassment, official secrecy, public interest disclosure, and the protection of privacy; focus on issues of political and legal importance to all who take an interest in how their country is governed. These matters are addressed here by leading judges, practitioners, and scholars from the UK, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. They provide timely and authoritative analysis as well as comparisons between British protections of these freedoms and the safeguards offered by other Commonwealth states, the USA, the EU and under the European Convention on Human Rights. This book will be of interest to academic and practising lawyers, government officials, and academics working in departments of politics and government.

Sir David Williams QC, DL, Jack Beatson QC and Sir William Wade QC 1. Part One Freedom of ExpressionCommon Law Constitutionalism and Freedom of Speech, Trevor Allen 2. Freedom of Speech and Representative Government, Leslie Zines 3. Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Religion: Some Thoughts on the `Glenn Hoddle' Case, Sir Patrick Elias and Jason Coppel 4. Politicians and the Press, Michael J. Beloff QC 5. The Protection of Political Discourse: Pragmatism or Incoherence?, Christopher Forsyth 6. Is the Privileged Position of Political Speech Justified?, Ivan Hare 7. A Free Press and Fair Trial: Challenges and Change, A. T. H. Smith 8. Newsgathering as Protected Activity, David A. Schulz 9. Freedom of Assembly, Eric Barendt 10. Freedom of Expression and the Problem of Harassment, Bob Hepple QC 11. Shoreham-by-Sea, Lord Cooke of Thorndon KBE 12. Freedom of Expression in the EU Legal Order and in EU Relations with Third Countries, Derrick Wyatt QC 13. Part Two Freedom of InformationThe Relationship between Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Information, The Hon Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE 14. Information as a Human Right, Sir Stephen Sedley 15. Freedom of Information: The New Proposals, Stephanie Palmer 16. Confidentiality, Lord Scott of Foscote 17. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, Yvonne Cripps 18. Linkage Between Access to Information and Judicial Review, Clive Lewis 19. Information and Privacy, David Feldman 20. Information, Privacy, and Technology: Citizens, Clients, or Consumers?, Alfred C. Aman Jr. 21. Freedom of Information and International Law, Sir Kenneth Keith 22. Freedom of Information in Commercial Disputes, Malcolm Clarke 23. Freedom of Information: The Implications for Business, Richard Thomas Index

`: a stimulating collection of essays which will be valued by anyone interested in public law ... There is a diversity of topics and expressions of view sufficient to attract readers from many different standpoints ... confidently recommended to a wider readership' Law Quarterly Review 1 July 2001 |d 4 Sept 2001