Which is refreshing. We noted earlier in the week that plans to reduce the success fees lawyers can charge in defamation cases from 100% to 10% were held up in the lords by a “motion of regret” tabled by the former Commons speaker Lord Martin, potentially derailing libel reform.

But Jack Straw isn’t pulling his punches for once. Today more plans have been wheeled out to curb libel tourism which have the apparent support of the Conservatives and the Lib Dems.

Guardian: Overseas claimants will be discouraged from launching libel cases in UK courts and a “public interest” defence may be introduced to protect investigative journalism, under legal changes unveiled today.

The proposals, which will also prevent multiple defamation claims being generated by repeated downloading of the same story, were announced by the justice secretary, Jack Straw.

Aimed at countering what is described as the “chilling effect” of Britain’s strict libel laws, the changes will be included in a libel reform bill to be introduced into parliament if Labour is returned to government after the next election. The Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are also calling for reform of the libel laws.

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Meanwhile, Lord Martin’s surprise bout of filibustering may be to no avail – the MOJ is planning to make parliamentary time available to prevent the order being killed off before the election.

It’s about time our internationally mocked (and feared) libel laws were cleaned up.