GOOD BYE SEDITION

This came into force today (section 73 Coroners and Justice Act 2009)

73 Abolition of common law libel offences etc

The following offences under the common law of England and Wales and the common law of Northern Ireland are abolished—

(a)     the offences of sedition and seditious libel;

(b)     the offence of defamatory libel;

(c)     the offence of obscene libel.

So that means that it is no longer a criminal offence (unless covered by some other offence) to

•   
  (1)     to bring into hatred or contempt, or to excite disaffection against, the Sovereign or the government and constitution of the United Kingdom or either House of Parliament, or the administration of justice; or
•   
  (2)     to excite the Sovereign's subjects to attempt, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter in church or state by law established; or
•   
  (3)     to incite persons to commit any crime in disturbance of the peace; or
•   
  (4)     to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the Sovereign's subjects; or
•   
  (5)     to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of those subjects.

The act or words must also have a tendency to incite public disorder and violence.