Labour plot to gag Press would breach justice – PM
LABOUR plans to muzzle the Press would be a ‘breach of natural justice’, Theresa May warned yesterday.
MPs will vote today on a series of highly controversial measures proposed by Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, and former leader, Ed Miliband, which critics warn would threaten free speech in this country.
The Prime Minister strongly criticised the proposals in Cabinet yesterday, saying they would ‘undermine our free Press’ if they are passed by MPs today. But ministers fear an unholy alliance of Labour, minor opposition parties and a few disaffected Tories could put three centuries of Press freedom at risk today.
Mr Watson is seeking to hijack the Data Protection Bill by forcing newsis papers to pay all legal costs in data protection cases even if they win.
The only way to avoid punitive costs would be to sign up to a stateapproved Press regulator – an idea that is anathema to supporters of free speech. There is only one regulator with official recognition, Impress, which is funded almost entirely through a family trust by ex-Formula 1 boss Max Mosley, whose racist past was exposed by the Mail.
Mr Watson has accepted £540,000 in donations from Mr Mosley, who has been an ardent supporter of state-backed Press regulation since being exposed for taking part in an S&M orgy with prostitutes.
Almost all national and local newspapers, including the Daily Mail, are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), which entirely free of state control. The bid to force newspapers to join Impress was dealt a major blow yesterday after The Guardian disowned Mr Watson’s plan. He had proposed giving the newspaper and its sister title The Observer a special exemption from the punishing legal bills newspapers would face even if they won their case when sued.
Meanwhile, Mr Miliband is seeking to set up a new inquiry into the Press to go over all the issues covered just six years ago by the controversial Leveson inquiry.
But he was branded a ‘hypocrite’ by Tory MP Anne Main last night after writing an article for The Guardian supporting his demand for a new inquiry despite cosying up to Rupert Murdoch in the past.
Mr Miliband was pictured at the influential media mogul’s summer party in 2011 where guests sipped champagne and ate oysters.
Referring to alleged ‘victims’ of alleged Press intrusion, he said in his article: ‘We should honour the promises made to the victims and vote for the completion of this inquiry.’
Former editor of The Guardian Alan Rusbridger later said on Twitter that Mr Miliband had made a ‘strong argument’ for a new inquiry.
Mrs May told yesterday’s meeting of the Cabinet that the Government would resist both measures. Downing Street said the PM said: ‘Many would consider it against natural justice that, even if a newspaper was found not to be at fault, they could still end up having to pay costs.’
Mrs May also rejected the idea of a Leveson 2 inquiry. She said almost £50million has already been spent on investigating phone hacking and that a further public inquiry was ‘not a proportionate solution’.
‘No need for another inquiry’