This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/feb/12/david-cameron-press-regulator
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron rejects call for press regulator to have statutory backing | David Cameron rejects call for press regulator to have statutory backing |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has rejected calls to reconsider introducing statutory underpinning for a new press regulator after two months of behind-the-scene deliberations with legal and policy advisers. | |
| A new press watchdog proposed on Tuesday by the Conservative party in the wake of the Leveson report would be established by a royal charter but it will not be backed by new legislation. | A new press watchdog proposed on Tuesday by the Conservative party in the wake of the Leveson report would be established by a royal charter but it will not be backed by new legislation. |
| The long-awaited detailed proposals for press regulation come two months after the prime minister said that a Leveson law would "cross a Rubicon" and end centuries of press freedom. | The long-awaited detailed proposals for press regulation come two months after the prime minister said that a Leveson law would "cross a Rubicon" and end centuries of press freedom. |
| Maria Miller, the culture secretary, told Sky News: "We do not want to have a press law." She said she hoped the "certainty" the Labour party was looking from for the press regulator can be achieved through the royal charter body. | Maria Miller, the culture secretary, told Sky News: "We do not want to have a press law." She said she hoped the "certainty" the Labour party was looking from for the press regulator can be achieved through the royal charter body. |
| The Labour party, which called for Leveson to be implemented in full when the report was published in November appears to have softened its position. Deputy leader Harriet Harman said she was concerned that ministers, through the Privy Council, could amend the royal charter at any time, but if the Tories changed this, "there might be a prospect of agreement". She told BBC News that if the Leveson report could be "achieved other than by statute, then we are certainly open to that" and this will be discussed at cross-party talks on Thursday. | |
| Under the proposals the new watchdog would be audited by a recognition panel every three years to ensure newspapers do not slide back into a culture that could spawn another scandal such as phone hacking. | Under the proposals the new watchdog would be audited by a recognition panel every three years to ensure newspapers do not slide back into a culture that could spawn another scandal such as phone hacking. |
| This "verifying" body would be established by a royal charter, which could be amended at any point by the privy council which is made up of cabinet ministers. | |
| The much mooted clause which would protect the charter from politically-motivated amendments through the Privy Council did not make it through to the final draft. | |
| Instead, the proposals including a complicated set of clauses which guarantee that the recognition body could not amend the royal charter without written approval from the three main parties in the Commons and the support of two thirds of the members of both the lower house and the Lords. | |
| The Tory proposals offer the first details on how the press regulator's recognition panel would operate and the regulatory authority it verifies. | The Tory proposals offer the first details on how the press regulator's recognition panel would operate and the regulatory authority it verifies. |
| The board of the recognition panel will have up to eight members, none of whom can be news publishers or civil servants. A separate appointments committee, chaired by Lord Brown, justice of the supreme court, will determine the makeup of the panel and of consist four members – including one representing publishers, one representing the public and one public appointments assessor. Serving editors or politicians will not be allowed to sit on this committee. | |
| The Tory proposals also include some fresh thinking on the regulatory body to replace the Press Complaints Commission. It will be able to investigate third-party complaints and it will also have the power to regulate "a website containing news-related material", such as the Huffington Post or the Guido Fawkes blog. | The Tory proposals also include some fresh thinking on the regulatory body to replace the Press Complaints Commission. It will be able to investigate third-party complaints and it will also have the power to regulate "a website containing news-related material", such as the Huffington Post or the Guido Fawkes blog. |
| It also gives outsiders the first opportunity to be involved in drawing up the code of practice for journalists covering everything from accuracy to privacy. This has up to now been the exclusive preserve of editors. | It also gives outsiders the first opportunity to be involved in drawing up the code of practice for journalists covering everything from accuracy to privacy. This has up to now been the exclusive preserve of editors. |
| The new watchdog will also be required to provide an arbitration process in relation to civil claims for alleged libel and privacy breaches. | The new watchdog will also be required to provide an arbitration process in relation to civil claims for alleged libel and privacy breaches. |
| Miller said the proposals would allow the Leveson principles to be implemented swiftly and in a practical fashion. She said the royal charter "would see the toughest press regulation this country has ever seen, without compromising press freedom". | Miller said the proposals would allow the Leveson principles to be implemented swiftly and in a practical fashion. She said the royal charter "would see the toughest press regulation this country has ever seen, without compromising press freedom". |
| However, Hacked Off, which has been campaigning for press reforms, accused Cameron of selling out on his promise to protect victims of press harassment by watering down Leveson's recommendations. | However, Hacked Off, which has been campaigning for press reforms, accused Cameron of selling out on his promise to protect victims of press harassment by watering down Leveson's recommendations. |
| The Lib Dems gave a cautious welcome to the plans. "We have always said our preferred option is to implement what Leveson suggested – a system of independent self-regulation backed by statute. But we are also clear that, as both Leveson and the victims have called for, the best outcome would be to move forward with cross-party agreement," said a spokesman. | The Lib Dems gave a cautious welcome to the plans. "We have always said our preferred option is to implement what Leveson suggested – a system of independent self-regulation backed by statute. But we are also clear that, as both Leveson and the victims have called for, the best outcome would be to move forward with cross-party agreement," said a spokesman. |
| Hacked Off said the Tories undermined several key Leveson recommendations including the one calling for appointments to be made "without any influence from industry or government". The royal charter gives the industry a veto over appointments, changing this to without "direction from industry". | Hacked Off said the Tories undermined several key Leveson recommendations including the one calling for appointments to be made "without any influence from industry or government". The royal charter gives the industry a veto over appointments, changing this to without "direction from industry". |
| The campaign group said that the royal charter also "obliterates" the independence of the regulatory board by watering down the rules over its membership. | The campaign group said that the royal charter also "obliterates" the independence of the regulatory board by watering down the rules over its membership. |
| Hacked Off also said the charter omits any mention of corrections and apologies, something that concerned Leveson, who found that newspapers had in the past tried to "resist or dismiss complainants almost as a matter of course". | Hacked Off also said the charter omits any mention of corrections and apologies, something that concerned Leveson, who found that newspapers had in the past tried to "resist or dismiss complainants almost as a matter of course". |
| Publishers who want to avoid large fines will be able to do so by creating a corporate vehicle "for their convenience", Hacked Off said. | Publishers who want to avoid large fines will be able to do so by creating a corporate vehicle "for their convenience", Hacked Off said. |
| It is understood that Oliver Letwin, Cameron's chief policy adviser, told Hacked Off at a briefing today that the Tory party weakened a number of clauses in its draft proposal at the request of the newspaper industry. | |
| Gerry McCann, father of missing girl Madeleine said this was "shocking". He added: "The Conservative party can't rewrite Leveson now. They must think again." | |
| • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". | • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". |
| • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook | • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook |