These vexatious actions, often launched by affluent individuals such as Russian oligarchs, suppress public interest stories.

Data from the Coalition Against Slapps in Europe shows that the use of Slapps in the UK surged to 14 in 2021, marking an increase from just four in the two preceding years. Europe witnessed a jump from 570 cases in 2022 to 820 this year.

A Thomson Reuters Foundation study reveals that 50 per cent of the journalists polled have faced legal challenges in their newsrooms due to their investigative stories. The research suggests that, increasingly, the law is used as a weapon by a range of individuals, from politicians and celebrities to business tycoons.

The task force, which includes representatives from the Society of Editors, the National Union of Journalists, and the Law Society of England and Wales, is to meet every two months. The government has already begun efforts to curb Slapps linked to financial reporting by amending the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill.

The task force aims to assess the scale of the Slapps issue, advocate for more stringent regulations, and foster training for both journalists and judges for the early detection of such cases.

Ms Frazer, a former lawyer, said: “Slapps have led to journalists having to crowdfund their legal fees and some have even been forced to sell their homes – simply for doing their job.

“Working together with industry leaders, we will develop strong measures which enhance the freedom of the press to expose wrongdoing without fear of our justice system being abused to silence journalists.”