The Last Ditch by Tom Paine

NHS Blog Doctor: £5 to save freedom of speech on the internet.

I am not sure that paying a blogger's legal costs to defend a libel claim is quite going to "save freedom of speech on the internet," but secure in the knowledge that Alex Hilton (aka Recess Monkey) would do the same for me (not), I have responded to the good doctor's appeal with a tenner. This, despite the distinctly unappealing opening to Hilton's appeal (to which I urge you also to contribute a fiver or so).

For me, there is triple pleasure in donating. Firstly, a Labourite's natural diet is tax money extracted by force. He must surely be poisoned by a free man's money, freely given. It's like making your cat vegetarian.

Secondly, as a libertarian, I don't agree with defamation laws. I think I should be free, for example, to call Bob Piper a fool.  Actually that's a bad example as the defence of "justification" means I am free to do that under present law☺. More relevantly, I think he should be able to call me bad names. It's good for his blood pressure and it's excellent training for me in the free man's key skill of not giving a damn for the opinions of idiots.

Thirdly, the money is going to a good cause – my fellow lawyers. I am sure I can rely on them to do something socially valuable with it – like educating their children somewhere beyond the reach of Labour's propagandists. Although, sadly, my august profession has its share of fools and charlatans, even they tend to avoid what I believe they call "bog standard comprehensives" (i.e. the sort of crap school their party inflicted on me) for their children.

All in all, a tenner well spent. What's more, as I earned it in Russia, it only cost me £11.30 of gross earnings, as opposed to the £14+ I would have had to earn in Socialist Britain. Seriously though – good luck with your defence, Tovarisch Hilton.