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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
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Key definition
Public interest definition

What does Public interest mean? In practice, public interest describes the genuine societal value in publishing or disclosing information because it contributes to public debate, democratic accountability, public health and safety, or the exposure of wrongdoing or hypocrisy. It is not the same as material that is merely scandalous, entertaining, or “interesting to the public”. In defamation, it underpins a defence to publication: in England and Wales the statutory defence in section 4 of the Defamation Act 2013 requires a reasonable belief that publication was in the public interest; courts assess all the circumstances (including subject matter, steps to verify, urgency, tone, and whether comment was...

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UK Secretary of State public interest interventions in merger control: Enterprise Act 2002 case tracker (ongoing and completed cases)

Practice notes
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This outlines ongoing and completed merger Transactions where the UK government has acted on Public interest considerations under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Ongoing cases

Parties Stage Public interest ground Industry sector; product market Decision

  • Daily Mail and General Trust plc/Telegraph Media Group — Phase 1 — Media plurality — Communications
    • Public Interest Merger Reference (Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited) (Pre-emptive Action) Order 2026 published—19/02/2026
    • Secretary of State for Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues a PIIN—12/02/2026
    • Case page

Completed cases 2025

Parties Stage Public interest ground Industry sector; product market Decision

  • RedBird IMI/Telegraph Media Group (anticipated acquisition) — Phase 1 — Media plurality — Communications
    • Second revised bid withdrawn—14/11/2025
    • Extension of deadline for representations from the parties on whether the Secretary of State should refer the transaction to a phase 2 investigation—25/03/2024
    • DCMS Secretary of State ‘minded’ to refer the transaction for a phase 2 investigation—19/03/2024
    • CMA delivers report to Secretary of State for DCMS—11/03/2024
    • CMA issues invitation to comment—05/02/2024
    • Secretary of State for DCMS issues a second PIIN—26/01/2024
    • DCMS Secretary publishes Written Ministerial Statement stating she is ‘minded’ to intervene on a new anticipated relevant merger situation—24/01/2024
    • Secretary of State...
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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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