“‘We do not have free speech in Britain, we have expensive speech … Defending a libel action in Britain is vastly more expensive than in any other European country – lawyers will rack up a million pounds in fees for a short trial and our cash-strapped media is increasingly choosing to settle rather than to fight for its freedom – which, after all, is its reader’s freedom to receive information.'”
The Guardian, 10th November 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk