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Phone-hacking victims give press regulation deal cautious welcome Phone-hacking victims give press regulation deal cautious welcome
(6 months later)
Victims of press intrusion have given a cautious welcome to the press regulation plan agreed early on Monday morning by the three main parties, describing the deal as an historic opportunity to draw the line under decades of excess by Fleet Street.Victims of press intrusion have given a cautious welcome to the press regulation plan agreed early on Monday morning by the three main parties, describing the deal as an historic opportunity to draw the line under decades of excess by Fleet Street.
Jane Winter, the director of a human rights charity whose emails were unlawfully accessed by journalists, said she believes the proposal for a new press regulator backed by royal charter agreed by the Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour leaders will deliver many of the key recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson in December last year.Jane Winter, the director of a human rights charity whose emails were unlawfully accessed by journalists, said she believes the proposal for a new press regulator backed by royal charter agreed by the Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour leaders will deliver many of the key recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson in December last year.
"If that's the case, I think this is really quite a historic day," she said, speaking after a press conference held by Hacked Off, the group campaigning for press regulation reform on behalf of victims of intrusion, in Westminster on Monday."If that's the case, I think this is really quite a historic day," she said, speaking after a press conference held by Hacked Off, the group campaigning for press regulation reform on behalf of victims of intrusion, in Westminster on Monday.
"We've had seven decades of this discussion about where the limits for the press are. We've had seven different sorts of investigations and none of them have stuck, they've all gathered dust. This is the first time, really, that civil society has made its voice heard," she told the Guardian."We've had seven decades of this discussion about where the limits for the press are. We've had seven different sorts of investigations and none of them have stuck, they've all gathered dust. This is the first time, really, that civil society has made its voice heard," she told the Guardian.
Winter said she had a sleepless night on Sunday as cross-party talks on the plans went down to the wire. "If this means there won't be any more families going through the hell the McCanns and Dowlers went through then that would be a major achievement and worth all the stress and sleepless nights," she added.Winter said she had a sleepless night on Sunday as cross-party talks on the plans went down to the wire. "If this means there won't be any more families going through the hell the McCanns and Dowlers went through then that would be a major achievement and worth all the stress and sleepless nights," she added.
Professor John Tulloch, the 7/7 survivor whose phone was hacked after his blood-spattered face became one of the defining images of the London bombings, welcomed the deal "in the spirit of compromise".Professor John Tulloch, the 7/7 survivor whose phone was hacked after his blood-spattered face became one of the defining images of the London bombings, welcomed the deal "in the spirit of compromise".
He agreed with Brian Cathcart, the Hacked Off co-founder, that the royal charter was the "second best" form of regulation to satisfy victims, behind statutory underpinning.He agreed with Brian Cathcart, the Hacked Off co-founder, that the royal charter was the "second best" form of regulation to satisfy victims, behind statutory underpinning.
"What we have got is a very good opportunity for, at last, a new regulator, independent of the corporate end of media control, and independent of political intervention," Tulloch told the Guardian."What we have got is a very good opportunity for, at last, a new regulator, independent of the corporate end of media control, and independent of political intervention," Tulloch told the Guardian.
"I'm hopeful that by having cross-party agreement, we've got parliament onside; the law through Lord Justice Leveson onside; we've got many, many good investigative journalists onside, so let's go from there. This is in the spirit of compromise so when people say it is second best, yes – but if it delivers the key points of the Leveson report then it's a great success.""I'm hopeful that by having cross-party agreement, we've got parliament onside; the law through Lord Justice Leveson onside; we've got many, many good investigative journalists onside, so let's go from there. This is in the spirit of compromise so when people say it is second best, yes – but if it delivers the key points of the Leveson report then it's a great success."
The author Joan Smith, who has described how she became "collateral damage" as the News of the World hunted for information about a relationship she had with Labour MP Denis MacShane, denied the royal charter would endanger freedom of speech or allow politicians to interfere with newsgathering.The author Joan Smith, who has described how she became "collateral damage" as the News of the World hunted for information about a relationship she had with Labour MP Denis MacShane, denied the royal charter would endanger freedom of speech or allow politicians to interfere with newsgathering.
"I don't think this was ever about [curbing] the freedom of the press," she said. "This is a way [for the press] to restore trust and transparency.""I don't think this was ever about [curbing] the freedom of the press," she said. "This is a way [for the press] to restore trust and transparency."
It is understood that four members of Hacked Off were present at the all-night talks in Labour leader Ed Miliband's office, including Cathcart, Evan Harris, Martin Moore and the prominent media barrister Hugh Tomlinson QC.It is understood that four members of Hacked Off were present at the all-night talks in Labour leader Ed Miliband's office, including Cathcart, Evan Harris, Martin Moore and the prominent media barrister Hugh Tomlinson QC.
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