Newspaper editors covering David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband constituencies speak out against state regulation of the press
Newspaper editors who cover the constituencies of the Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and leader of the Labour party, Ed Miliband, have highlighted their opposition to the introduction of statutory regulation of the press.
Ahead of Lord Leveson returning his recommendations for future governance of the press in the UK following his inquiry into media ethics, which it has been speculated will include statutory regulation in some form, the editors of the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times, the editor in chief of the Star and Sheffield Telegraph, the editor of Gazette Newspapers and the editor in chief of South Yorkshire Newspapers, have voiced their concerns at the possibility of state regulation.
Instead they have called for tough self-regulation to be put forward.
Covering Cameron’s constituency in Witney is Simon O’Neill, group editor of the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times, who stated that a free press “ was essential” to a democratic society, and that “half measures” of regulating a free press would not work.
“It’s all or nothing,” he added.
“The press does have a lot to answer for and, if truth be told, we have brought much of this upon ourselves. If Leveson flushes out the immoral, illegal and downright despicable practices of a small section of our industry, he will have done journalism and society as a whole a great service.
“If he advocates a regulatory body backed by legislation and that is implemented by this Government, he and every politician who supports him will go down in history as the people who made future curbs on press freedom possible… it is society as a whole, as well as the honest, decent and responsible press vital to a functioning democracy, that will suffer.”
Lord Leveson is expected to come back with his proposals on regulation of the press before the end of November.