New Press watchdog holds first public event

A TOUGHER era for UK newspapers began last night with the first public meeting of the new Press regulator in Edinburgh.

Sir Alan Moses, a former top judge, who presided over the Soham murder trial, chaired a small and occasionally heated meeting at Napier University.

But Hacked Off, the campaign group demanding statutory regulation, pulled out at the last minute and issued a statement calling the new Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) a ‘fake regulator’.

Despite the criticism, Sir Alan said IPSO was groundbreaking and it was extraordinary that competing newspaper owners had been able to agree on a body which would impose tougher penalties than the former Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

He vowed to be an unpopular figure in the industry, saying this would be proof the new system is working.

Sir Alan added: ‘What I want to achieve is that level of unpopularity to be sure that IPSO is doing its job.’

Following the Leveson Inquiry into Press standards, a controversial Royal Charter to oversee Press regulation was signed following UK cross-party talks.

Alex Salmond has also backed a role for the state in regulating the industry.

However, as publishers have refused to sign up, that proposal appears to be dead in the water.