Hugh Grant woos Tories to vote for curbs on the press
Actor attempts to persuade MPS to back Labour bid for stricter regulation, despite Prime Minister’s opposition
HUGH GRANT has mounted a charm offensive on Tory MPS in an attempt to persuade them to vote for curbs on press freedoms, as Theresa May warned that the plans were against “natural justice”.
Ten Tory MPS are considering rebelling against the Government today and backing two Labour amendments that would bring in stricter press regulation by the back door.
The DUP, the party propping up Theresa May, is also considering backing the amendments in a move that could be enough to defeat the Government.
Grant, the actor and a director of Hacked Off, a campaign group, yesterday held one-on-one meetings in Parliament with Tories considering backing the amendments to the Data Protection Bill. The Prime Minister yesterday told her Cabinet that the Government remains confident of defeating the amendments as she warned that they could “undermine our free press”.
One amendment to the Bill, tabled by Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, would force newspapers that are not members of a state-sanctioned press regulator to pay all the legal costs in libel cases brought against them, regardless of the outcome.
The majority of national and local newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph, have signed up to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).
Local newspapers have warned that the plans could drive them out of business. A second amendment tabled by Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, would force ministers to establish a new Leveson-style inquiry. The Government is opposing both amendments.
Mrs May said that a second Leveson inquiry would take “great time and expense” and was not “a proportionate solution”. She said that the Government was committed to a voluntary-led system of regulation, adding that sanctioning newspapers that were not members of the official regulator was “unnecessary and disproportionate”.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The amendment on section 40 would force the press to sign up to a system which has already been outright rejected by the majority of publications. It is also unnecessary and disproportionate, given we now have an independent and strengthened system of regulation, with IPSO making continued improvements, such as the
‘[It] would force the press to sign up to a system which has already been rejected by the majority of publications’
introduction of a mandatory education scheme in line with Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendation.
“The Prime Minister 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.”
Tory MPS who could rebel include Bill Wiggin, Crispin Blunt, Peter Bone and Kenneth Clarke. Grant yesterday held at least one meeting with a Tory MP on press regulation and has met with others in recent weeks.
He said he will be in Parliament for another briefing with MPS this morning alongside “Fleet Street whistleblowers” who will say “why they believe the press and public should want to hear the whole story”.