The country's libel laws don't need reforming, but the fees of specialist lawyers need slashing, says someone who has been on the receiving end of more defamation claim forms than most readers have had copies of the Gazette. Private Eye editor, 'Have I Got News for You' panellist and general raconteur Ian Hislop made an appearance at a reception for the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, held last week at the law firm of Gazette immigration legal update columnist, Laura Devine Solicitors. He entertained guests with tales of his many battles with the late Peter Carter-Ruck (the solicitor who never quite got over the consistent typographical errors Private Eye used to inflict on his name). Mr Hislop also revealed that the Eye itself is put through a pre-publication libel read by specialist lawyers. 'They say to me in exasperation: "Do you know this is defamatory?" And I reply: "That's exactly why I'm writing it".'