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Leveson Inquiry: Tories 'did not want to regulate press'
BBC News web site
DATELINE: 23/5/12
The 1990s Tory government wanted to avoid statutory regulation of the press, the Leveson Inquiry has heard. Former Heritage Secretary Stephen Dorrell told the inquiry into press ethics he also explored ways of "doing nothing" about proposed privacy laws. He also told the inquiry it was wrong for ministers to ignore press coverage - or for policy to be determined by it.
BBC presenters Andrew Marr and Jeremy Paxman and former Labour Home Secretary Lord Reid are to give evidence later.The inquiry into press standards is looking into the relationship between politicians and the media.
Mr Dorrell oversaw media policy as heritage secretary between 1994 and 1995 and was responsible for the government's response to the second Calcutt Report into the media. Mr Dorrell told the inquiry: "There was a phrase in the culture at the time that the press was 'in the last chance saloon'. "But he said the government at the time preferred to avoid statutory regulation of the press and said he was "personally hostile for any proposal for official regulation of freedom of expression". "It was time in my mind for the government to stop talking in terms of threats it had no willingness to carry out and no ability to carry out."
The inquiry heard he sent a memo to then-Prime Minister John Major in March 1995 which said introducing a criminal offence over privacy invasion would cause a major row with the press.
He said he was asked to "dress up a do-nothing option". Asked if that was the option chosen, he answered: "Substantially, yes."
Mr Dorrell said he warned at the time a new privacy law would be "the wrong thing and the wrong time". Questioned on whether newspaper coverage had an effect on government actions he said he thought it was wrong in principle to ignore media coverage.
He said he was not in favour of having government policy determined by press coverage but also not in favour of having policy set out "blind to press coverage".
Continue reading the main story The Leveson Inquiry Q&A: The Leveson Inquiry [/news/uk-15686679] Who's linked to who? [/news/uk-14846456] Weekly summary [/news/uk-18123418] The BSkyB takeover emails [/news/uk-17826634]
Last modified: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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Previous Leveson Inquiry stories
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Coulson at Leveson: a former spin doctor's master class in closing down unhelpful questions
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
Leveson Inquiry
Alastair Campbell at Leveson: great theatre Mr Jay, shame about the questions
Brooks at Leveson: an insight into how the Sun exploited the political endorsement of the Murdoch press
Coulson at Leveson: a former spin doctor's master class in closing down unhelpful questions
It's not just about Murdoch - the whole system needs fixing
New Podcast: post Murdoch where is Leveson Inquiry going?
After Leveson… What future for the media?
NUJ responds to Murdoch's evidence at the Leveson Inquiry
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch off the hook over alleged illegal payments to public officials
Leveson Inquiry shock news: Rupert Murdoch says his political influence was just 'a myth'
Now we come to the dark heart of this strange affair
Leveson Inquiry: Rupert Murdoch and son to appear
Money talks: no wonder so many rival journalists were beaten by the Sun's exclusive stories
If the Sun hates attacks on press freedom, how must it despise itself!
Jeremy Hunt calls for regulation of press content free of political interference...but no promise that politicians will refrain from meddling in media ownership
Iraq War: "Implacable support" of Murdoch press a key factor for Blair
Women's groups - Leveson must back ban on sexualized images in media
Ofcom and BSkyB bid: We should have looked at News Corporation's political influence
Leveson Inquiry: PCC chief says appetite for fresh start
Chilling effect on BBC journalism of licence freeze: a warning to Leveson Inquiry
Co-ordinating Committee for Media Reform call for change
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten rebukes David Cameron
Opinion: "Leveson: reasons to be wary of press promises"
Cameron's links with the Murdoch press: only superficial probing at Leveson
Press Freedom: a democratic rubric
Leveson Inquiry edges closer to Cameron
James Murdoch 'shown damning email'
Rupert Murdoch met David Cameron at Downing Street twice during BSkyB bid
The Leveson Inquiry: Should We Care?
Leveson Inquiry kicks off but ministers could still act
Ditch the PCC: CPBF backs inquiry into the ethics and culture of the press
