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Leveson's chief inquisitor calls UK press 'most unruly and irreverent in world' Leveson's chief inquisitor calls UK press 'most unruly and irreverent in world'
(35 minutes later)
Robert Jay QC has described the British press as "the most unruly and irreverent in the world" in his first public address since the end of Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into newspaper standards and ethics. The lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry into newspaper standards and ethics, Robert Jay, has described the British press as "the most unruly and irreverent in the world".
The former lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry also dismissed as "scaremongering" concerns that statutory recognition of a new press regulator would be a slippery slope. He described the fears as capable of being overstated. The QC also dismissed as "scaremongering" concerns that statutory recognition of a new press regulator would be a slippery slope. He described the fears as capable of being overstated.
Jay criticised the "prurient or intrusive tendencies" of tabloid newspapers that invade the privacy of individuals without a public interest defence. In his first public address since the end of the inquiry, Jay criticised the "prurient or intrusive tendencies" of tabloid newspapers that invade the privacy of individuals without a public interest defence.
"What the Leveson inquiry demonstrated beyond argument is that sections of the British press are unruly and that the basis for asserting that the press is under-regulated appears strong," Jay told the Singapore Academy of Law in a speech earlier this month."What the Leveson inquiry demonstrated beyond argument is that sections of the British press are unruly and that the basis for asserting that the press is under-regulated appears strong," Jay told the Singapore Academy of Law in a speech earlier this month.
He added: "My impression is that the press in the UK could well qualify as the most unruly and irreverent in the world, and I have travelled widely; it is fearless, and it speaks its mind.He added: "My impression is that the press in the UK could well qualify as the most unruly and irreverent in the world, and I have travelled widely; it is fearless, and it speaks its mind.
"To be described as 'unruly and irreverent' would be regarded by most editors and journalists as a badge of honour, not of aspersion. Many would argue that these qualities make the press in the UK the best in the world, because the dividing line between fearlessness in holding power to account and unruliness in disparaging the rights of private individuals is almost impossible to draw.""To be described as 'unruly and irreverent' would be regarded by most editors and journalists as a badge of honour, not of aspersion. Many would argue that these qualities make the press in the UK the best in the world, because the dividing line between fearlessness in holding power to account and unruliness in disparaging the rights of private individuals is almost impossible to draw."
Jay said that an ideal press should be able to launch serious investigations into "the dark crevices of government" while respecting the rights of individuals where there is no public interest in prying further. It was "somewhat pessimistic" to argue that a free press will occasionally intrude on the private lives of innocent members of the public, he added.Jay said that an ideal press should be able to launch serious investigations into "the dark crevices of government" while respecting the rights of individuals where there is no public interest in prying further. It was "somewhat pessimistic" to argue that a free press will occasionally intrude on the private lives of innocent members of the public, he added.
Jay used the speech to back the key proposals of the Leveson report into the future of press regulation, published in December, and said any opinions were his and not the judge's. Jay used the speech to back the key proposals of the Leveson report into the future of press regulation, published in November, and said any opinions were his and not the judge's.
"I would not wish to sound complacent, but in my view in the cultural context of the UK, those fears [about statutory underpinning for a new press regulator] amount to scaremongering. I do not see any slope, let alone a slippery one," he said."I would not wish to sound complacent, but in my view in the cultural context of the UK, those fears [about statutory underpinning for a new press regulator] amount to scaremongering. I do not see any slope, let alone a slippery one," he said.
"Statute can be both the servant and enemy of press freedom, depending on the cultural context and on exactly what it provides.""Statute can be both the servant and enemy of press freedom, depending on the cultural context and on exactly what it provides."
He argued that Leveson's recommendation of a new law to create an independent press regulator would not "be anathema to the constitutional principles which a mature democracy jealously safeguards".He argued that Leveson's recommendation of a new law to create an independent press regulator would not "be anathema to the constitutional principles which a mature democracy jealously safeguards".
That proposal in Leveson's 2,000-page report has proved divisive for many editors and politicians. The prime minister dismissed the recommendation as "the crossing of a Rubicon" within hours of its public unveiling in November.That proposal in Leveson's 2,000-page report has proved divisive for many editors and politicians. The prime minister dismissed the recommendation as "the crossing of a Rubicon" within hours of its public unveiling in November.
Jay predicted that another of Leveson's proposals – an arbitration arm that resolves privacy and libel disputes involving newspapers – would soon become the norm in the UK. Jay, predicted that another of Leveson's proposals – an arbitration arm that resolves privacy and libel disputes involving newspapers – would soon become the norm in the UK.Jay's speech to lawyers and academics in Singapore marks a return to the public eye for Leveson's chief inquisitor, who grilled David Cameron, Rupert Murdoch, Tony Blair and dozens of celebrities at the inquiry.
Jay's speech to lawyers and academics in Singapore marks a return to the public eye for Leveson's chief inquisitor, who grilled David Cameron, Rupert Murdoch, Tony Blair and dozens of celebrities at the inquiry.
The speech will be welcomed by fans of Jay's often flamboyant wordplay, with references to "metaphorical doldrums", "inchoate" privacy rights, and "a rough and ready rather than a Rolls Royce" system of justice.The speech will be welcomed by fans of Jay's often flamboyant wordplay, with references to "metaphorical doldrums", "inchoate" privacy rights, and "a rough and ready rather than a Rolls Royce" system of justice.
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