The Nineteenth Century has served both its own ends and
the public interest by printing in its current issue, to the length of over twenty pages, the lengthy and important judgement by Mr. Justice Birkett in the recent libel action, Nineteenth Century against News Chronicle, in which the plaintiff review, its editor and publisher were awarded £I,000 damages. There is a good deal that needs definition in the law of defamation, and the learned judge's pronouncement on the whole question was exhaustive. What makes this case particu- larly important is that the basis of the impugned article was a state- ment regarding the Nineteenth Century made by Mr. Brendan Bracken, as Minister of Information, in the House of Commons. This was admittedly privileged, but the action largely turned on how far that privilege could extend to the comment which the News Chronicle attached to the statement. Sir Norman Birkett was quite clear in his own mind about that, and he stated his views with his customary lucidity. The judgement forms a notable addition to the existing literature on defamation. The Royal Commission now sitting on the Libel Laws will no doubt give it close attention. * * *
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