Leveson
Ministers made a poor use of Parliament on press regulation
The government’s decision to delay signing off the Royal Charter for press regulation was initially heralded as a dramatic change of heart, before being re-sold by those involved in the… Continue reading
13 CommentsLeveson: Don’t be frightened by the state
If David Cameron had any sense, he would stand up in the Commons and say “I am withdrawing the Royal Charter. The law officers have assured me that Lord Justice… Continue reading
23 Comments
‘Small-scale’ bloggers hear the chimes of freedom
Bloggers of the United Kingdom rejoice – an exemption from the all-new press controls looks to be on the way. We are waiting today to see if any of the… Continue reading
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It’s down to the House of Lords to save the bloggers
On Monday, Parliament will decide the future of blogging in this country. As the government’s press regulation proposals stand, blogs big and small would come under the new press regulator.… Continue reading
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The View from 22 — Peter Lilley vs. George Eustice on press regulation and the 2013 Budget
The Spectator has categorically said ‘NO’ to signing up to the government’s new regulatory body, but why are MPs so divided? In this week’s View from 22 podcast, Peter Lilley… Continue reading
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Hacked Off says press damages plan is a mistake
So the latest twist in the surreal saga of statutory regulation of the press is that the campaign group which had unparalleled access to the three parties hammering out a… Continue reading
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Why The Spectator said ‘no’ to David Cameron’s Royal Charter for regulation of the press
After due consideration, we at The Spectator have decided our response to the proposed Royal Charter system of press regulation. Our answer is given on the cover of the new… Continue reading
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Ministers avoid awkward vote on foreign criminals as Tories rebel on press damages plan
The Crime and Courts Bill, which contains one half of the government’s response to the Leveson recommendations, has just passed its third reading in the House of Commons. An earlier… Continue reading
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It’s not a press regulator, it’s a web regulator.
Since the early 1990s, hundreds of millions of words have been produced about the Web. Enthusiasts have told us that it is the greatest communications revolution since Guttenberg invented movable… Continue reading
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Newspapers irritated by exclusion from Leveson talks
As he summed up today’s debate on press regulation, the Prime Minister repeatedly stressed that the new system was a voluntary one, with incentives for journalists to join. It marked… Continue reading
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Press regulation: Tory backbenchers worried by proposals
MPs are continuing to debate the cross-party deal on press regulation in the Commons at the moment. The debate has been divided between congratulations for the party leaders and their… Continue reading
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Leveson Royal charter debate: statutory or non-statutory?
The three party leaders have just opened the debate on the Royal Charter. David Cameron was at pains to stress that this is not a ‘statutory approach’. But this was… Continue reading
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Why the Tories don’t think the Leveson deal is statutory underpinning
David Cameron has just met Tory MPs to explain the deal he’s struck on Leveson. One of the things many of them were anxious to learn was whether the result… Continue reading
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Number 10: Cameron was awake and available throughout the negotiations
A senior Number 10 source tells me that David Cameron was awake and available throughout the Leveson negotiations. They also point out that Nick Clegg left the meeting at 11.30pm,… Continue reading
17 Comments
Press regulation: Ceci n’est pas une statute
The party leaders should finish their discussions on Leveson – by phone – in the next hour or so. We’ll then get a statement in the Commons on the outcome… Continue reading
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After Leveson and McCluskey, does Alex Salmond believe in the freedom of the press?
So, it seems some kind of torturous “deal” has been reached in London on how best to regulate the press in the future. If David Cameron’s proposals for a Royal… Continue reading
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Harriet Harman and Maria Miller both claim victory in Leveson talks
Who has won in the late-night Leveson talks? Both Harriet Harman and Maria Miller seem to think their own party’s Royal Charter has come out tops. And one says they’ve… Continue reading
47 Comments
Late night Leveson talks bring parties close to deal
So it looks as though a deal has been struck on Leveson after late night talks. Oliver Letwin, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman were holed up in Miliband’s… Continue reading
5 Comments
Which Tories will be Hacked Off’s useful idiots?
Reading the Hacked Off memo on how to lobby Tory MPs is to be inducted into a wholly cynical world view. It declares, ‘These people are likely to be people… Continue reading
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20 Tories could rebel on Royal Charter plan
Conservative MPs who have previously supported statutory underpinning of press regulation are meeting on Monday morning to discuss how they will vote. There is a list of 75 Tories who… Continue reading
30 Comments