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Press regulation: six select committee MPs oppose alternative for watchdog Press regulation: six select committee MPs oppose alternative for watchdog
(4 months later)
Six MPs on the influential Commons culture, media and sport select committee have announced that they do not support the press industry's plan for a new regulator backed by a royal charter.Six MPs on the influential Commons culture, media and sport select committee have announced that they do not support the press industry's plan for a new regulator backed by a royal charter.
The six Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have written to the privy council and the culture secretary, Maria Miller, to say they reject the rival royal charter being put forward by the Press Board of Finance (Pressbof), which funds the Press Complaints Commission, to underpin a new regulator.The six Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have written to the privy council and the culture secretary, Maria Miller, to say they reject the rival royal charter being put forward by the Press Board of Finance (Pressbof), which funds the Press Complaints Commission, to underpin a new regulator.
They said they are backing the original government charter, agreed by the three main parties in a late-night meeting in Ed Milliband's office in March during negotiations that also included members of the Hacked Off group campaigning for stricter press regulation.They said they are backing the original government charter, agreed by the three main parties in a late-night meeting in Ed Milliband's office in March during negotiations that also included members of the Hacked Off group campaigning for stricter press regulation.
The MPs have branded the rival charter "a last ditch attempt to repeat the mistakes of the past" by the press industry and said they are basing their decision on the extensive experience gained through culture select committee evidence hearings in 2011 when they helped exposed the phone-hacking scandal.The MPs have branded the rival charter "a last ditch attempt to repeat the mistakes of the past" by the press industry and said they are basing their decision on the extensive experience gained through culture select committee evidence hearings in 2011 when they helped exposed the phone-hacking scandal.
"At the end of the day, Pressbof, which is dominated by the big national newspapers, funded and oversaw a regime that failed because it was far too much controlled by the industry itself. This rival charter is a last ditch attempt to repeat the mistakes of the past and should be resisted, in the interests of effective, independent regulation and decent press standards," they have said in their submission."At the end of the day, Pressbof, which is dominated by the big national newspapers, funded and oversaw a regime that failed because it was far too much controlled by the industry itself. This rival charter is a last ditch attempt to repeat the mistakes of the past and should be resisted, in the interests of effective, independent regulation and decent press standards," they have said in their submission.
The letter is signed by Labour's Ben Bradshaw, the former culture secretary, and former newspaper journalist and Labour MP Paul Farrelly. The other signatories are: Labour's Steve Rotheram, Jim Sheridan and Gerry Sutcliffe and Lib Dem MP John Leech.The letter is signed by Labour's Ben Bradshaw, the former culture secretary, and former newspaper journalist and Labour MP Paul Farrelly. The other signatories are: Labour's Steve Rotheram, Jim Sheridan and Gerry Sutcliffe and Lib Dem MP John Leech.
Their position is at odds with that of the chairman of the committee, Tory MP John Whittingdale, who has said the press royal charter should be considered.Their position is at odds with that of the chairman of the committee, Tory MP John Whittingdale, who has said the press royal charter should be considered.
On Tuesday Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights campaigning organisation Liberty, came out against both royal charters saying the whole idea of using this archaic instrument was bizarre and unworkable.On Tuesday Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights campaigning organisation Liberty, came out against both royal charters saying the whole idea of using this archaic instrument was bizarre and unworkable.
"A royal charter is constitutionally inappropriate, undemocratic, opaque and in no way fit for this purpose," said Liberty."A royal charter is constitutionally inappropriate, undemocratic, opaque and in no way fit for this purpose," said Liberty.
Chakrabarti and the MPs were making their comments ahead of Thursday's deadline for submissions to the Department for Culture Media and Sport on the Presbof royal charter.Chakrabarti and the MPs were making their comments ahead of Thursday's deadline for submissions to the Department for Culture Media and Sport on the Presbof royal charter.
Pressure group Hacked Off is also opposed to the press charter. It is backed by the UK's biggest newspaper groups, including Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers and News International, owner of the Sun and the Times, in additional to the owners of more than 1,000 regional and local papers and major magazine publishers.Pressure group Hacked Off is also opposed to the press charter. It is backed by the UK's biggest newspaper groups, including Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers and News International, owner of the Sun and the Times, in additional to the owners of more than 1,000 regional and local papers and major magazine publishers.
Publishers backing the press royal charter have warned that the government's plan could kill off local media by opening the floodgates to "claims farming lawyers" seeking compensation for minor errors relating to those featuring in newspapers already struggling to survive.Publishers backing the press royal charter have warned that the government's plan could kill off local media by opening the floodgates to "claims farming lawyers" seeking compensation for minor errors relating to those featuring in newspapers already struggling to survive.
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