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Leveson Inquiry: Press Complaints Commission 'not a regulator' Leveson Inquiry: PCC 'mistake' over Andy Coulson
(about 2 hours later)
The Press Complaints Commission is a "complaints body" not a "regulator", its former director has told the Leveson Inquiry. The Press Complaints Commission should have questioned Andy Coulson over phone hacking after it emerged at the News of the World, its former director says.
Tim Toulmin, who was in the post from 2004 to 2009, said the PCC was set up by the industry as an ombudsman. Tim Toulmin conceded at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards that the PCC had taken a "restrictive and timorous" approach over the matter.
He said the PCC did not investigate what had happened at the News of the World over phone hacking but instead ran a "forward looking exercise". He said the the PCC had thought its powers would have "held little traction" with ex-editor Mr Coulson.
Mr Toulmin was in the post when Royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed. He said he had later accepted that this had been a mistake.
He was asked if the PCC had discussed whether to ask Andy Coulson questions after he resigned as editor of the News of the World over phone hacking. Mr Toulmin held the post when royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for intercepting royal voicemails at the News of the World in 2007.
But he said the PCC had decided its powers would have "held little traction with him". Mr Coulson resigned as editor in the wake of the scandal, saying he took "ultimate responsibility" for what had happened.
Mr Toulmin said the PCC had discussed whether to ask Mr Coulson questions after his resignation, but concluded that he would not have felt obliged to comply with such a request.
Instead of investigating what had happened, the PCC had run a "forward-looking exercise", Mr Toulmin said.
"I later accepted this was a mistake," he said."I later accepted this was a mistake," he said.
But he added that this had not been his decision.
Lord Justice Leveson said it would have been "extremely powerful" if Mr Coulson had refused to speak to the PCC.Lord Justice Leveson said it would have been "extremely powerful" if Mr Coulson had refused to speak to the PCC.
Mr Toulmin told the inquiry the PCC could "react quickly to complainants or to events".
Editors admonishedEditors admonished
The PCC members did not regard themselves as defending the press, but helping the public remedy problems they had with free press, he said. Mr Toulmin also said the 2009 report which appeared to dismiss Guardian allegations and clear the News of the World of phone hacking was "obviously wrong".
The PCC had sent "letters of admonishment" maybe six times to editors if they had been slow to respond to the organisation or had not published a ruling with sufficient prominence. "The decision to make a qualitative judgment on the evidence dismissing the Guardian's evidence was a major mistake, there's no doubt about that. It's a great regret that happened."
Mr Toulmin said he thought the PCC did "test the boundaries of its powers" with regards examining phone hacking. Mr Toulmin said the PCC was a "complaints body" rather than a "regulator".
He said editors on the PPC helped give the PCC power because of peer pressure. But he expressed "regret" that some people who might have suffered at the hands of the press had never heard of the PCC.
Lord Justice Leveson asked if it was an error everyone had made in calling the PCC a self-regulating body when it was not a regulator at all, to which Mr Toulmin replied "yes". Mr Toulmin told the inquiry the commission could "react quickly to complainants or to events".
The inquiry is also due to hear evidence on Monday from current Press Complaints Commission director Stephen Abell. The PCC members did not regard themselves as defending the press, but helping the public remedy problems they had with a free press, he said.
On Tuesday the witnesses will include Sir Christopher Meyer, a former PCC chairman and former BBC and ITV chairman Michael Grade, who is one of the public members of the PCC. Lord Justice Leveson asked if it was an error everyone had made in calling the PCC a self-regulating body when it was not a regulator at all, with which Mr Toulmin agreed.
The inquiry is now hearing evidence from current PCC director Stephen Abell.
The Leveson Inquiry was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2011 amid new revelations of phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World.The Leveson Inquiry was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2011 amid new revelations of phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World.
The first phase is examining the practices and ethics of the press. A second phase of the inquiry, after a police investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World is complete, will focus on unlawful conduct by the press and the police's initial hacking investigation.The first phase is examining the practices and ethics of the press. A second phase of the inquiry, after a police investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World is complete, will focus on unlawful conduct by the press and the police's initial hacking investigation.