Pro-life charity threatens legal action against council over removal from country show

Anti-abortion charity Life has said it has instructed solicitors to begin legal action against Lambeth Council after its stall was removed on the second day of the Lambeth Country Show last month.

Life said a letter sent to the council on Friday (10 August) warned of prospective claims against it for libel and the unlawful interference with the charity’s right to freedom of expression, contrary to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The group said it was seeking a public correction and apology from Lambeth Council, an undertaking that its right to freedom of expression would not be unlawfully interfered with again and that the council would properly engage with it in the future. It added that it was seeking compensation.

Life’s Director of Education Anne Scanlan said: “The actions of Lambeth Council represent a grave injustice which must be challenged if we are to continue to defend the right to life of the unborn child and promote support for the thousands of women who need our help in crisis pregnancies.”

A spokesman for the council said it would not be commenting at this time.