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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Conservatives to publish draft royal charter on press regulation | Conservatives to publish draft royal charter on press regulation |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives are expected to set out plans for a new press regulator backed by royal charter later. | The Conservatives are expected to set out plans for a new press regulator backed by royal charter later. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron rejected Lord Justice Leveson's recommendation, backed by Labour and the Lib Dems, that a new system be underpinned by statute. | Prime Minister David Cameron rejected Lord Justice Leveson's recommendation, backed by Labour and the Lib Dems, that a new system be underpinned by statute. |
| The draft charter is expected to set up a "recognition body" to ensure the new press regulator does its job properly. | The draft charter is expected to set up a "recognition body" to ensure the new press regulator does its job properly. |
| Cross-party talks on how the Leveson report should be implemented have so far failed to reach agreement. | Cross-party talks on how the Leveson report should be implemented have so far failed to reach agreement. |
| In November a report on press standards by Lord Justice Leveson, commissioned in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, recommended an independent self-regulatory watchdog for the press that would be backed by legislation. | In November a report on press standards by Lord Justice Leveson, commissioned in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, recommended an independent self-regulatory watchdog for the press that would be backed by legislation. |
| The plan has the support of the Liberal Democrats as well as Labour - who have published a draft bill setting out how the recommendation could be implemented. | The plan has the support of the Liberal Democrats as well as Labour - who have published a draft bill setting out how the recommendation could be implemented. |
| Press freedom | Press freedom |
| Campaign group Hacked Off has also published a draft bill, which it says would implement the recommendations of the Leveson report in full. | Campaign group Hacked Off has also published a draft bill, which it says would implement the recommendations of the Leveson report in full. |
| But the prime minister has said he does not believe a bill is necessary to set up the new regime and, instead, the Conservatives are expected to say a royal charter is the right way to provide legal backing for any new press regulator. | But the prime minister has said he does not believe a bill is necessary to set up the new regime and, instead, the Conservatives are expected to say a royal charter is the right way to provide legal backing for any new press regulator. |
| Royal charters are formal documents that have been used to establish and lay out the terms of organisations, including the BBC and the Bank of England, and cannot be changed without government approval | Royal charters are formal documents that have been used to establish and lay out the terms of organisations, including the BBC and the Bank of England, and cannot be changed without government approval |
| BBC media correspondent Torin Douglas said the Conservatives see legislation as neither necessary to set up the new regime nor desirable, claiming it could restrict press freedom. | BBC media correspondent Torin Douglas said the Conservatives see legislation as neither necessary to set up the new regime nor desirable, claiming it could restrict press freedom. |
| They see a charter as one step removed from the government and politicians, our correspondent added. | They see a charter as one step removed from the government and politicians, our correspondent added. |
| But Labour has expressed concerns that a royal charter could put too much power in government hands and would bypass Parliament. | But Labour has expressed concerns that a royal charter could put too much power in government hands and would bypass Parliament. |
| 'Worrying' | 'Worrying' |
| Hacked Off, which met Mr Cameron on Monday, said the prime minister had failed to give assurances that the proposal would be "fully compliant" with the Leveson recommendations. | Hacked Off, which met Mr Cameron on Monday, said the prime minister had failed to give assurances that the proposal would be "fully compliant" with the Leveson recommendations. |
| Brian Cathcart, director of the campaign group, said he had not seen the full details of the charter but believed Mr Cameron had "compromised" with the press. | Brian Cathcart, director of the campaign group, said he had not seen the full details of the charter but believed Mr Cameron had "compromised" with the press. |
| Speaking at a conference in Westminster, he said: "Our firm view is that it (the Royal Charter) has to be completely Leveson compliant and utterly crystal clear. On that we had no reassurance from the prime minister. | Speaking at a conference in Westminster, he said: "Our firm view is that it (the Royal Charter) has to be completely Leveson compliant and utterly crystal clear. On that we had no reassurance from the prime minister. |
| "The prime minister was not reassuring about the idea that this body would be appointed in a transparent and independent way. He was not reassuring on the legal status of this charter. He gave us no encouragement to believe it would have underpinning in statute. | "The prime minister was not reassuring about the idea that this body would be appointed in a transparent and independent way. He was not reassuring on the legal status of this charter. He gave us no encouragement to believe it would have underpinning in statute. |
| Mr Cathcart added: "He appears to be of the view that the draft charter is a solution and will deliver Leveson. That was his language. When we probed we found plenty to worry us." | Mr Cathcart added: "He appears to be of the view that the draft charter is a solution and will deliver Leveson. That was his language. When we probed we found plenty to worry us." |