The Sun landmark editorial brands Leveson report 'discredited' and hits out at 'Hacked Off brigade'

The Sun declared Lord Justice Leveson’s report into press ethics “discredited” in its landmark editorial on Wednesday and hit out at the vested interests of those such as the “Hacked Off brigade” in relation to press freedoms.The editorial was part of an edition featuring a striking front-page wrap ahead of the introduction of The Sun’s paywall on Thursday, declaring “This is our Britain” on top of an illustration of the country’s best-known landmarks and icons.“Those who blindly back them have no experience of life without press freedoms, nor any understanding of how damaging their loss would be,” the title added on the regulation issue.The editorial goes on to accuse the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour of behaving “spinelessly” following the Leveson report, which it claims is “discredited”.The Sun is one of a number of titles attempting to push through a press alternative to the government’s Royal Charter on regulation. The delays have caused a row between politicians and the media, with John Prescott recently resigning from the Privy Council in protest.The edition comes just over a month after The Sun’s new editor, David Dinsmore, took over the reins at the paper and the edition’s editorial – ‘And this is where The Sun stands’ – lays out the paper’s stance on a range of the country’s pressing issues.From Mr Bean and John Terry to the white cliffs of Dover, Blackpool Tower and even Harry’s Potter’s mythical school Hogwarts, The Sun’s unmissable front and back page wrap is designed to stimulate the nation’s patriotism.On technology, The Sun says: “People talk doom and gloom about technology destroying newspapers. Not us. We are excited about the future because of the technology.“It allows us to publish The Sun on many different platforms, to reach new audiences, to enhance and update constantly.”The editorial laid out a brief stance on a range of the country’s most talked about issues and on welfare declared Britain’s “culture of entitlement” was “bleeding Britain dry” and must end, insisting the present government’s benefits cap is still too generous.Accusations that the title was anti-immigration were branded “rubbish” and The Sun claimed to equally detest both the English Defence League and “Islamic fascists who want to destroy our freedoms”.As The Sun gears up to switch on the paywall, here’s how Twitter responded to the big wrap.

Wrap: The Sun's Wednesday 31 July edition

Incredible. John Terry has photobombed the sun front page http://t.co/fNRGCXdn4B

— Duncan Hooper (@DuncanHooperMSN) July 31, 2013

I hope every other paper also does its own 'vision of Britain' illustrated front page, like The Sun's.

— Tom Davies (@tomdaviesE17) July 31, 2013

It's like Photoshop had a mental breakdown RT @suttonnick: Wednesday's Sun front page wrap - "This is our Britain" pic.twitter.com/xCEO4R8Uf2

— Charlie Ashford (@cfashford) July 31, 2013

Extraordinary Sun front page today. File Easyjet's prominence under 'Advertorial'? pic.twitter.com/9x1sHKcdhN

— Tim Crow (@synergytim) July 31, 2013

Today's front page of The Sun - "This Is Our Britain". Incl the flag of Northern Ireland - which isnt part of Britain pic.twitter.com/AvMPIwAi60

— Darren Dalby (@DarrenDalby) July 31, 2013

There’s a Dalek in the middle of The Sun’s ‘THIS IS OUR BRITAIN’ front page, almost definitely representing the rise of fascism in the UK.

— Tampertronics (@Tmprz) July 30, 2013

Feeling inspired, we stayed up really late last night and put together the cover for Sunday's paper… pic.twitter.com/5EmqLenjBC

— The Sunday People (@thesundaypeople) July 31, 2013

LOVE the Sun's optimistic front page today - gearing up for the paywall. pic.twitter.com/a2XzhMC9lE

— Mark A J Riley (@smiler29) July 31, 2013