Why is London the libel capital of the world?

A furious letter from a smartly-named law firm is almost par for the course for journalists on the crime and corruption beat. From oligarchs and dictators to badly behaved billionaires, many have enlisted the help of libel lawyers to frighten off reporters and squash unfavorable stories. What’s more rare, however, is for these furious letters to materialize in an actual lawsuit. That was the unfortunate situation faced by Ed Siddons, a reporter at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, after reporting on a multibillion-dollar Kazakh investment vehicle. For two years, Ed and the Bureau were forced to defend a defamation lawsuit launched by the company. This week on Whale Hunting, Bradley chats to Ed about why London has become the libel capital of the world, how bad actors are exploiting UK law to suppress public interest journalism, and the ferocious firms that help them pursue these claims. For more from Whale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Om Podcasten

This is WHALE HUNTING, a weekly podcast that pulls back the curtain on the hidden worlds of money and power, hosted by investigative journalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. Previously long-time reporters for the Wall Street Journal, Tom and Bradley now run Project Brazen, a journalism studio that’s published stories on everything from US Navy corruption to spycraft in Silicon Valley and embezzlement at the heart of Spain’s royal family.  Now, on the Whale Hunting podcast, you can join them as they share what’s got them talking this week, from the headlines to underworld gossip. Each episode will offer something different, but you can expect obscene tales of corruption, insights on the bizarre habits of billionaires, and conversations with reporters, spies, hostage negotiators, cops, authors, and the occasional criminal. Think of it as dropping in on the watercooler chat at Project Brazen’s office.  So join us. Subscribe to Whale Hunting, and find out how the world really works.  For more, or to sign up to our newsletter, visit whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/