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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Press regulation deal 'very close' | Press regulation deal 'very close' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A deal between Britain's political parties on measures to regulate the press is "very close", Downing Street sources have said. | A deal between Britain's political parties on measures to regulate the press is "very close", Downing Street sources have said. |
| Efforts have stalled on the extent to which a new self-regulatory body should be underpinned by a law but talks continued into the night. | |
| Labour sources confirmed the possible deal is based on their idea for a royal charter backed by legislation. | Labour sources confirmed the possible deal is based on their idea for a royal charter backed by legislation. |
| MPs are due to vote on the terms of the new watchdog. | MPs are due to vote on the terms of the new watchdog. |
| Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband have said they want a new watchdog to be backed by a law, but Prime Minister David Cameron has opposed this. | Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband have said they want a new watchdog to be backed by a law, but Prime Minister David Cameron has opposed this. |
| Mr Cameron, who was facing a potential defeat in the Commons, met Mr Clegg on Sunday as part of an attempt to reach a deal ahead of the vote. | Mr Cameron, who was facing a potential defeat in the Commons, met Mr Clegg on Sunday as part of an attempt to reach a deal ahead of the vote. |
| It is understood that later discussions lasting for about five-and-half hours and ending at about 02:30 GMT took place between Mr Clegg, Mr Miliband, shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman and Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin. | It is understood that later discussions lasting for about five-and-half hours and ending at about 02:30 GMT took place between Mr Clegg, Mr Miliband, shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman and Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin. |
| The prime minister was not present but was kept informed of progress. | The prime minister was not present but was kept informed of progress. |
| Labour sources said they were "confident" the reopened talks at Mr Miliband's office had secured the basis of an agreement, to be announced in the Commons later. | Labour sources said they were "confident" the reopened talks at Mr Miliband's office had secured the basis of an agreement, to be announced in the Commons later. |
| Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into press ethics in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal had called for a new, independent regulator backed by legislation, prompting months of political wrangling. | Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into press ethics in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal had called for a new, independent regulator backed by legislation, prompting months of political wrangling. |
| Rival plans | Rival plans |
| On Thursday, the prime minister called time on cross-party talks on reforms and instead published his proposals to establish a tougher press regulator. | On Thursday, the prime minister called time on cross-party talks on reforms and instead published his proposals to establish a tougher press regulator. |
| In response, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband joined forces to unveil rival plans. | In response, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband joined forces to unveil rival plans. |
| Both the prime minister and the two other parties agreed on the concept of the royal charter, a formal document used to establish and lay out the terms of an organisation, for example the Bank of England or the BBC, that cannot be changed without government approval. | Both the prime minister and the two other parties agreed on the concept of the royal charter, a formal document used to establish and lay out the terms of an organisation, for example the Bank of England or the BBC, that cannot be changed without government approval. |
| However, a major sticking point was whether a new self-regulatory body should be backed by law. | However, a major sticking point was whether a new self-regulatory body should be backed by law. |
| Mr Cameron believes enshrining it in law will harm press freedom but Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband insist on it - they say the rules would lack impact without it. | Mr Cameron believes enshrining it in law will harm press freedom but Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband insist on it - they say the rules would lack impact without it. |
| The other main differences in the rival royal charter, which Mr Clegg launched with Mr Miliband, involve not giving the press a veto over the members of the regulator and preventing it from being watered down or strengthened by future governments. | The other main differences in the rival royal charter, which Mr Clegg launched with Mr Miliband, involve not giving the press a veto over the members of the regulator and preventing it from being watered down or strengthened by future governments. |
| Earlier on Sunday, Conservative sources told the BBC that Mr Cameron was now "reluctantly" prepared to accept changes to his plans which, if passed, could mean his royal charter may be altered - but only by a two thirds majority of both Houses. | Earlier on Sunday, Conservative sources told the BBC that Mr Cameron was now "reluctantly" prepared to accept changes to his plans which, if passed, could mean his royal charter may be altered - but only by a two thirds majority of both Houses. |
| Culture Secretary Maria Miller said she hoped a cross-party "solution" was still possible but stressed "statutory regulation of the press" would have a "chilling effect" on journalism. | Culture Secretary Maria Miller said she hoped a cross-party "solution" was still possible but stressed "statutory regulation of the press" would have a "chilling effect" on journalism. |
| 'Hung out to dry' | 'Hung out to dry' |
| Chancellor George Osborne and Ms Harman also both told the BBC they hoped the parties could reach a deal on the key elements of a new regulator before Monday's vote. | Chancellor George Osborne and Ms Harman also both told the BBC they hoped the parties could reach a deal on the key elements of a new regulator before Monday's vote. |
| Harry Potter author JK Rowling - who gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry about press intrusion into her family's privacy - said victims were being "hung out to dry" over the reforms, urging MPs to "have the courage" to protect them. | Harry Potter author JK Rowling - who gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry about press intrusion into her family's privacy - said victims were being "hung out to dry" over the reforms, urging MPs to "have the courage" to protect them. |
| Hacked Off, the campaign group representing some press abuse victims, called Mr Cameron's royal charter proposal a "shameless sell-out to his friends in the national press". | Hacked Off, the campaign group representing some press abuse victims, called Mr Cameron's royal charter proposal a "shameless sell-out to his friends in the national press". |
| But one of its key figures, the actor Hugh Grant, told the BBC that while the Lib Dem-Labour plan was "never ideal... the important victims of this - and I do not include people like myself... would be supportive of it". | But one of its key figures, the actor Hugh Grant, told the BBC that while the Lib Dem-Labour plan was "never ideal... the important victims of this - and I do not include people like myself... would be supportive of it". |