David Cameron responds to victims' letter
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On 9th September 2013, a group of victims of press abuses wrote to the Prime Minister ahead of his appearance before the Commons Culture Committee, urging him to clearly reject the Press Barons’ charter and throw his weight behind the speedy approval of the cross-party, Leveson-compliant version, backed by victims and the public.
The victims’ letter called on David Cameron to ensure that the cross-party charter was approved by the Privy Council without delay, sending a clear message to those sections of the press who seem intent on blocking reform:
“We commend you for the firm and historic stand that you, in common with the other main party leaders, took on this issue of press self-regulation on 18th March of this year. We urge you to reaffirm that position this week, and to make clear to leading newspaper publishers that they must change their approach if they are to win back the public’s trust.”
This morning, Hacked Off received this response from the Number Ten: Cameron’s reply to press abuse victims (pdf)
5 Comments
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What on earth did this mean? I have read it three times and it makes no sense. Why can he not just implement the Leverson inquiry findings and get on with it? Is he so much in the pay and thrawl of Murdoch and the right wing gutter press still?
Why have the press been given the right to apply to the Privy Council first? Why did the Conservatives delay going to the Privy Council thus allowing the press to get in first? Doesn’t sound as if the Conservatives want justice for everyone harmed by Hacking!
The Press weren’t “given the right” – they simply acted faster than the government. I’ve written to Downing Street and DCMS on numerous occasions trying to get them to explain why the PressBoF Charter is being considered given that, according to Hacked Off’s analysis, PressBoF fails the required criteria for Royal Charter petition, but strangely none of the replies I receive ever address the specific question I ask…
Simply unbelievable what is being allowed to happen.
Seems to me allowing the newspapers to even submit their own suggestions to the Privy Coucil for a rule change or Law change is akin to allowing bank robbers or any other criminal to submit their own suggestions to the Privy Council to change the Law regarding the offence of which they have been convicted.
We, the Tax Payer have spent a lot of money, and asked a knowledgeable, eminent Judge to look at the whole question of how the newspapers have conducted themselves over the last few years.
He has recommended changes to the Law to prevent further abuses and transgressions in the future.
This Government is waffling on the issue and completely ignoring the recommendations of Leveson.
Shame on them !!
Have you managed to get a response as to why the Privy Council is even considering the PressBoF Charter, given that, by your own analysis, PressBoF doesn’t actually meet the criteria: https://hackinginquiry.org/news/pressbof-charter-application-a-wrecking-manouvre/