London Mayor Boris Johnson welcomes litigious Russian oligarchs

London Mayor Boris Johnson urged Russia's oligarchs to sue each other in the city's courts, in contradiction of the government's policy of discouraging "libel tourism".

"If one oligarch feels defamed by another oligarch, it is London's lawyers who apply the necessary balm to the ego," Johnson told the Confederation of British Industry's annual conference in London on Monday.

"I have no shame in saying to the injured spouses of the world's billionaires: if you want to take him to the cleaners, take him to the cleaners in London, because London cleaners will be grateful for your business."

The Defamation Bill, currently going through the upper chamber of Parliament, requires the plaintiff to show that Britain would be clearly the most appropriate place to bring a case, rather than the one where it would be easiest to win. The then justice secretary, Ken Clarke, said in March of last year the bill was designed, among other things, to stop US citizens from suing US publications in London.

"We are trying to dissuade libel tourism on a point of principle," Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman, Vickie Sheriff, said.

Johnson argued that such cases, with the associated legal fees, are welcome.