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Leveson report proposals 'would be illegal' Leveson report proposals 'would be illegal'
(about 4 hours later)
A key adviser to Lord Justice Leveson says his proposal for compulsory press regulation would be illegal because it would breach the Human Rights Act.A key adviser to Lord Justice Leveson says his proposal for compulsory press regulation would be illegal because it would breach the Human Rights Act.
The judge's report recommended an independent self-regulatory body for the industry, backed up by legislation.The judge's report recommended an independent self-regulatory body for the industry, backed up by legislation.
But Shami Chakrabarti, of civil rights group Liberty, href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2241609/Bombshell-Levesons-adviser-His-law-gag-press-illegal-breaches-Human-Rights-Act-shes-banned-telling-advised-inquiry.html" >told the Mail on Sunday she could not support such legislation. But Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti said although she supported the principles of Leveson's report, she "got off the bus" at compulsory regulation.
She said the press was "being coerced in being held to higher standards than anyone else". Actor and campaigner Hugh Grant said reforms "simply won't work without it".
'Free and vibrant' Lord Justice Leveson proposed creating a new, independent watchdog, but the debate over any legislation underpinning it has caused a split in the coalition.
Ms Chakrabarti, one of six assessors who worked on the Leveson Inquiry, said: "We were chosen as advisers because of our areas of expertise. 'Carrots and sticks'
"Mine is human rights law and civil liberties. In a democracy, regulation of the press and imposing standards on it must be voluntary. Ms Chakrabarti, one of six assessors who worked on the Leveson Inquiry, told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme she supported the "carrots and sticks" in the report, that meant press who signed up to a new watchdog would be subject to lower penalties than those who did not.
"A compulsory statute to regulate media ethics in the way the report suggests would violate the act, and I cannot support it. "The bombshell, or the difference, is what do you do if people don't join the club or don't set up a club. And Leveson doesn't want compulsory regulation of the press, but he says if they don't play ball, politicians may have to consider it. That is where I get off the bus," she said.
"It would mean the press was being coerced in being held to higher standards than anyone else, and this would be unlawful." She href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2241609/Bombshell-Levesons-adviser-His-law-gag-press-illegal-breaches-Human-Rights-Act-shes-banned-telling-advised-inquiry.html" >told the Mail on Sunday that, in a democracy, regulation of the press and imposing standards on it must be voluntary.
Ms Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, said Labour leader Ed Miliband had been "hasty" in declaring his full backing for the Leveson report. "A compulsory statute to regulate media ethics in the way the report suggests would violate the act, and I cannot support it."
Campaign group Hacked Off, which represents people who have been victims of press intrusion, has launched a petition for Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations to be carried out in full. So far it has about 90,000 signatures. She also said Labour leader Ed Miliband had been "hasty" in declaring his full backing for the Leveson report.
However, Ms Chakrabarti said: "I understand that people who have been wronged want action. But they should be interested in outcomes, rather than particular processes. Mr Miliband has said Prime Minister David Cameron must back Lord Justice Leveson's proposal by Christmas.
"The outcome they should be seeking is a free and vibrant press with access to justice for the public when things go wrong."
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said Prime Minister David Cameron must back Lord Justice Leveson's proposal by Christmas.
'Serious concerns'
If Mr Cameron has not signed up by then, Mr Miliband says he will pull out of cross-party talks.If Mr Cameron has not signed up by then, Mr Miliband says he will pull out of cross-party talks.
Mr Miliband told the Observer the prime minister has "one last chance to show leadership" or his party will begin rallying for a Commons vote in January, which could see Mr Cameron defeated.Mr Miliband told the Observer the prime minister has "one last chance to show leadership" or his party will begin rallying for a Commons vote in January, which could see Mr Cameron defeated.
He said: "We're not going to let these talks become a smoke screen for inaction and just be used as a way to run this into the ground, hoping people forget all about it, and hoping the fuss dies down.
"So in the next two to three weeks we have got to have a resolution.
"If the cross-party talks have nowhere to go and we can't reach agreement we have to go to Parliament."
The Labour leader backs Lord Justice Leveson's report, agreeing that self-regulation of the press needs to be backed by law because it has so far "failed".
Mr Cameron has indicated he has "serious concerns and misgivings" about legislation following the Leveson report.Mr Cameron has indicated he has "serious concerns and misgivings" about legislation following the Leveson report.
He will attend a meeting on Tuesday with Culture Secretary Maria Miller and newspaper editors. 'Complicated issue'
Chancellor George Osborne told the BBC he did not think Labour should be setting deadlines before Christmas.
He said Ms Chakrabarti had spoken "very powerfully about the risks of legislation" and it was important that the parties continued talking to find a consensus.
"This is a very complicated issue and we have got to get it right," he said.
Conservative MP John Whittingdale, who chairs the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, has called for self-regulation rather than new laws, saying legislation could stifle free speech.
"As people come to think about this carefully, they will realise the dangers of going down this road," he said.
However, shadow chancellor Ed Balls told the Andrew Marr show Mr Cameron should "get on and do it".
"I'm somebody who was always very sceptical about imposing statutory legislation on the press but that's not what Leveson did," he said.
Also appearing on the programme, actor Hugh Grant claimed Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations were "mild" and branded Mr Cameron's position "very close to disgraceful".
He spoke of his "astonishment" at Mr Cameron's "betrayal" by declaring there was no need for statutory underpinning.
'Papers challenged''Papers challenged'
Mrs Miller has said the "gauntlet has been thrown down" to papers to demonstrate how they could regulate themselves without legislation. Campaign group Hacked Off, which represents people who have been victims of press intrusion, has launched a petition for Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations to be carried out in full. It now has about 100,000 signatures.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wants a new law introduced without delay.Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wants a new law introduced without delay.
David Cameron will attend a meeting on Tuesday with Culture Secretary Maria Miller and newspaper editors.
Mrs Miller has said the "gauntlet has been thrown down" to papers to demonstrate how they could regulate themselves without legislation.
Lord Justice Leveson's 2,000 page report into press culture, practices and ethics, published on Thursday, followed an eight-month public inquiry launched in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.Lord Justice Leveson's 2,000 page report into press culture, practices and ethics, published on Thursday, followed an eight-month public inquiry launched in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.
The report said a regulatory body proposed by the press at the inquiry was insufficiently independent.The report said a regulatory body proposed by the press at the inquiry was insufficiently independent.
Lord Justice Leveson said the press - having failed to regulate itself in the past - must create a new and tough regulator but it had to be backed by legislation to ensure it was effective.Lord Justice Leveson said the press - having failed to regulate itself in the past - must create a new and tough regulator but it had to be backed by legislation to ensure it was effective.
Press Complaints Commission chairman Lord Hunt has said the Press Complaints Commission should be replaced by another organisation within months, although the idea of legislation has been largely rejected by newspapers Press Complaints Commission chairman Lord Hunt has said the Press Complaints Commission should be replaced by another organisation within months, although the idea of legislation has been largely rejected by newspapers.

The Leveson report

The Leveson report