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Phone hacking should not lead to new press legislation, says Neil Wallis Phone hacking should not lead to new press legislation, says Neil Wallis
(35 minutes later)
The former deputy editor of the News of the World, Neil Wallis, has said that the alleged hacking of phones of Milly Dowler and the victims of Soham was "unconscionable", but is not a reason to shackle the press with new legislation.The former deputy editor of the News of the World, Neil Wallis, has said that the alleged hacking of phones of Milly Dowler and the victims of Soham was "unconscionable", but is not a reason to shackle the press with new legislation.
Wallis told a debate at the University College London on Monday night that the right to freedom of speech was not just something that should be afforded to victims of press intrusion and issued a warning that politicians would seek to censor the press given the chance. Wallis told a debate at University College London on Monday night that the right to freedom of speech was not just something that should be afforded to victims of press intrusion and issued a warning that politicians would seek to censor the press given the chance.
"Hacking into Milly Dowler's phone was utterly wrong, hacking into the phones of the families [and] victims of Soham, 7/7, Madeleine McCann, was unconscionable, the pillorying of Christopher Jefferies [the landlord of murdered landscape architect Joanna Yeates] was just wrong, but … free speech is for everybody and not just for some of the victims of bad journalism," said Wallis, who joined the News of the World after the Soham and Dowler phone-hacking incidents."Hacking into Milly Dowler's phone was utterly wrong, hacking into the phones of the families [and] victims of Soham, 7/7, Madeleine McCann, was unconscionable, the pillorying of Christopher Jefferies [the landlord of murdered landscape architect Joanna Yeates] was just wrong, but … free speech is for everybody and not just for some of the victims of bad journalism," said Wallis, who joined the News of the World after the Soham and Dowler phone-hacking incidents.
"Of the 10,000 or so journalists in the UK, the hundreds of newspapers and magazines, the millions of stories, only a tiny, tiny, few were involved in the criminal activity that has been discussed.""Of the 10,000 or so journalists in the UK, the hundreds of newspapers and magazines, the millions of stories, only a tiny, tiny, few were involved in the criminal activity that has been discussed."
Wallis said proponents of statutory regulation for the press make "very seductive" arguments, but the public should be careful of the law of unintended consequences.Wallis said proponents of statutory regulation for the press make "very seductive" arguments, but the public should be careful of the law of unintended consequences.
He argued there were already laws dealing with excesses of the press, noting that at least 30 journalists had been arrested in the last 18 months as part of the investigations into activities of the press.He argued there were already laws dealing with excesses of the press, noting that at least 30 journalists had been arrested in the last 18 months as part of the investigations into activities of the press.
The former tabloid editorial executive is one of those who has been arrested. Wallis has been on bail for the last 16 months after his arrest in relation to the police investigation into alleged hacking at the News of the World.The former tabloid editorial executive is one of those who has been arrested. Wallis has been on bail for the last 16 months after his arrest in relation to the police investigation into alleged hacking at the News of the World.
Wallis said there were enough laws governing the media including those relating to libel and privacy. Citing the Terrorism Act of 2000, he said politicians and police had demonstrated scant regard for the rights of individuals when it suited them. Wallis said there were enough laws governing the media, including those relating to libel and privacy. Citing the Terrorism Act of 2000, he said politicians and police had demonstrated scant regard for the rights of individuals when it suited them.
The addition of the now-abolished section 44 to the act, which gave police powers to stop and search anyone reasonably suspected of being a terrorist had led to officers stopping and questioning 253,000 innocent people, but no arrests. "There was never a single charge," Wallis added.The addition of the now-abolished section 44 to the act, which gave police powers to stop and search anyone reasonably suspected of being a terrorist had led to officers stopping and questioning 253,000 innocent people, but no arrests. "There was never a single charge," Wallis added.
He branded the Hacked Off campaign to bring in new legislation to regulate the press as "an unsavoury alliance of celebrities, politicians and ambulance-chasing lawyers".He branded the Hacked Off campaign to bring in new legislation to regulate the press as "an unsavoury alliance of celebrities, politicians and ambulance-chasing lawyers".
At the same debate, Tory MP John Whittingdale, chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, said the notion of a Leveson law to regulate the press was "horrifying" and the country should give attempts to bring in new regulation, independent of politicians, a chance.At the same debate, Tory MP John Whittingdale, chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, said the notion of a Leveson law to regulate the press was "horrifying" and the country should give attempts to bring in new regulation, independent of politicians, a chance.
If that did not work, Whittingdale added, he would be the "first in the queue" demanding statutory reforms.If that did not work, Whittingdale added, he would be the "first in the queue" demanding statutory reforms.
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