Live coverage of a statement in the House of Commons by digital, culture, media and sport secretary Matt Hancock updating the House on the Leveson inquiry.
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forward Digital, culture, media and
sport. Secretary Matt Hancock. Thank | 0:00:00 | 0:00:07 | |
you very much, Mr Speaker. Mr
Speaker, with your permission, I | 0:00:07 | 0:00:11 | |
wish to make a statement on the
Leveson Inquiry and its | 0:00:11 | 0:00:15 | |
implementation and the freedom of
the breast. Over many centuries in | 0:00:15 | 0:00:20 | |
Britain, our press has held the
powerful to account and been free to | 0:00:20 | 0:00:24 | |
report on investigate without fear
or favour. These principles underpin | 0:00:24 | 0:00:28 | |
our democracy and our -- and are
integral to our freedom as a nation | 0:00:28 | 0:00:34 | |
and today in a world of internet and
click bait, our press face critical | 0:00:34 | 0:00:40 | |
challenges that threaten their
livelihood unsustainability, with | 0:00:40 | 0:00:43 | |
declining circulations and a
changing media landscape. It is in | 0:00:43 | 0:00:47 | |
this context that we approach the
Leveson Inquiry which was set up | 0:00:47 | 0:00:52 | |
seven years ago, in 2011, and
reported six years ago in 2012, in | 0:00:52 | 0:00:57 | |
response to events over a decade
ago. The Leveson Inquiry was a | 0:00:57 | 0:01:02 | |
diligent and thorough examination of
the culture, practices and ethics of | 0:01:02 | 0:01:07 | |
our press in response to illegal and
improper press intrusion. There were | 0:01:07 | 0:01:11 | |
far too many cases of terrible
behaviour and, having met some of | 0:01:11 | 0:01:16 | |
the victims, I understand the impact
that this had. From the start I want | 0:01:16 | 0:01:21 | |
to thank Sir Brian for his work the
inquiry lasted over a year and heard | 0:01:21 | 0:01:26 | |
evidence from more than 300 people,
including journalists, editors and | 0:01:26 | 0:01:32 | |
victims. Three major police
investigation is examined a wide | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
range of offences and more than 40
people were convicted. The inquiry | 0:01:35 | 0:01:40 | |
and investigations were
comprehensive and since it was set | 0:01:40 | 0:01:45 | |
up, the terms of reference for a
part two of the inquiry have largely | 0:01:45 | 0:01:49 | |
been met. There have also been
extensive reforms to policing | 0:01:49 | 0:01:53 | |
practices and significant changes to
press self-regulation. Ipso has been | 0:01:53 | 0:02:00 | |
established and now regulates 95 %
of national newspapers by | 0:02:00 | 0:02:06 | |
circulation. It has taken
significant steps to determine its | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
independence as a regulator and in
2016, so Joseph Pilling concluded | 0:02:09 | 0:02:16 | |
that ipso had largely complied with
lovers and's recommendation. There | 0:02:16 | 0:02:20 | |
have been further improvement since
and, I hope, more to come. Ipso | 0:02:20 | 0:02:27 | |
introduced a low cost arbitration
system and it has processed more | 0:02:27 | 0:02:33 | |
than 40,000 complaints in its first
two years of operation and ordered | 0:02:33 | 0:02:38 | |
multiple front-page corrections or
clarifications and newspapers have | 0:02:38 | 0:02:41 | |
made improvements to their
governance frameworks to improve | 0:02:41 | 0:02:45 | |
internal controls, standards and
compliance. One regulator, Impress, | 0:02:45 | 0:02:49 | |
has been recognised under the Royal
charter. The College of policing has | 0:02:49 | 0:02:56 | |
published a code of ethics and
developed national guidance for | 0:02:56 | 0:03:00 | |
police officers on how to engage
with the press and we have | 0:03:00 | 0:03:05 | |
legislated in the policing and crime
act to strengthen protections for | 0:03:05 | 0:03:10 | |
police whistle-blowers. So it is
clear that we have seen significant | 0:03:10 | 0:03:14 | |
progress from publications, from the
police and from the new regulator. | 0:03:14 | 0:03:19 | |
And the media landscape today is
markedly different from that which | 0:03:19 | 0:03:23 | |
Sir Brian Leveson 2011. The way in
which we consume news has changed | 0:03:23 | 0:03:27 | |
dramatically. Newspaper circulation
has fallen by around 30 % since the | 0:03:27 | 0:03:34 | |
conclusions of the lovers and
inquiry and although digital | 0:03:34 | 0:03:36 | |
circulation is rising, publishers
are finding it much harder to | 0:03:36 | 0:03:41 | |
generate revenue online. In 2015 for
every £100 newspapers lost in print | 0:03:41 | 0:03:48 | |
revenue they gained only £3 in
digital revenue. Our local papers in | 0:03:48 | 0:03:55 | |
particular are under severe
pressure. Local papers help to bring | 0:03:55 | 0:03:58 | |
together local voices and shine a
light an important local issues, in | 0:03:58 | 0:04:03 | |
communities, courtrooms and council
chambers and as we devolve more | 0:04:03 | 0:04:07 | |
power further to local communities,
they will become even more important | 0:04:07 | 0:04:12 | |
and yet over 200 local newspapers
have closed since 2005, including | 0:04:12 | 0:04:17 | |
two in my own constituency. These
are the new challenges and there are | 0:04:17 | 0:04:24 | |
also challenges that were only in
their infancy in 2011. We've seen a | 0:04:24 | 0:04:29 | |
dramatic and continued rise in
social media, which is largely | 0:04:29 | 0:04:33 | |
unregulated, and issues like click
bait and fake news and malicious | 0:04:33 | 0:04:38 | |
disinformation and online abuse
threatened high-quality journalism. | 0:04:38 | 0:04:41 | |
The foundation of a successful
democracy is a sound basis for | 0:04:41 | 0:04:47 | |
democratic discourse and this is
under threat from these new forces, | 0:04:47 | 0:04:51 | |
and that requires urgent attention.
These are today's challenges and | 0:04:51 | 0:04:55 | |
this is where we need to focus,
especially as over £48 million was | 0:04:55 | 0:05:01 | |
spent on a police investigation and
inquiry. During the consultation, | 0:05:01 | 0:05:08 | |
12% of direct respondents were in
favour of reopening the Leveson | 0:05:08 | 0:05:13 | |
Inquiry, with 66% against. We agree
and this is the position that we set | 0:05:13 | 0:05:18 | |
out in the Conservative party
manifesto. Sir Brian, who I think | 0:05:18 | 0:05:23 | |
for his service, agrees that the
inquiry should not proceed on the | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
current terms of reference but
believes that it should continue in | 0:05:26 | 0:05:31 | |
an amended form. We do not believe
that reopening this costly and | 0:05:31 | 0:05:37 | |
time-consuming public inquiry is the
right way forward. So, considering | 0:05:37 | 0:05:42 | |
all of the factors, I have informed
Sir Brian that we are formally | 0:05:42 | 0:05:48 | |
closing the inquiry. | 0:05:48 | 0:05:53 | |
We will take action to safeguard the
lifeblood of democratic discourse | 0:05:53 | 0:05:58 | |
and tackle challenges the media face
to day but died decades ago. During | 0:05:58 | 0:06:03 | |
the consultation be found serious
concerns with section 40 of the | 0:06:03 | 0:06:10 | |
crime act. It would exacerbate the
problems. Respondents worry it will | 0:06:10 | 0:06:18 | |
pose further burdens. As one high
profile viewer put it he said and I | 0:06:18 | 0:06:25 | |
quote newspapers are already
operating in a tough environment and | 0:06:25 | 0:06:30 | |
these proposals will make it
tougher. They will add to the risk | 0:06:30 | 0:06:34 | |
of self-censorship. The threat of
having to pay both costs no matter | 0:06:34 | 0:06:38 | |
what the challenge would have the
effect of leaving journalists | 0:06:38 | 0:06:41 | |
questioning every import named and
including the most innocuous data. | 0:06:41 | 0:06:49 | |
Section 40 risks damaging the paper
you love and the impact meaning that | 0:06:49 | 0:06:57 | |
papers will find it difficult to
survive. These aren't my words but | 0:06:57 | 0:07:01 | |
the words of Alistair Campbell
talking about the chilling threat of | 0:07:01 | 0:07:06 | |
section 40. If anybody knows about
the threats to the press it is | 0:07:06 | 0:07:10 | |
Alistair Campbell. Of the 7% of
direct respondents only 7% of direct | 0:07:10 | 0:07:17 | |
respondents favoured full
commencement of section 40. By | 0:07:17 | 0:07:22 | |
contrast, 79% favoured full repeal.
Mr Speaker we have decided not to | 0:07:22 | 0:07:27 | |
comment section 40 of the crime and
to seek repeal at the earliest | 0:07:27 | 0:07:32 | |
opportunity. Action is needed not
based on what is in the past but | 0:07:32 | 0:07:38 | |
what is needed to address today's
problems. And the majority are | 0:07:38 | 0:07:50 | |
Internet safety strategy is looking
at online behaviour and would firmly | 0:07:50 | 0:07:56 | |
tackle the problems of online abuse.
The review into sustainability of | 0:07:56 | 0:08:01 | |
high-quality journalism will address
concerns on news on media. It will | 0:08:01 | 0:08:08 | |
do that in a forward-looking way and
respond to the challenges of today | 0:08:08 | 0:08:11 | |
but the challenges of yesterday. The
future of a vibrant press matters to | 0:08:11 | 0:08:17 | |
us all. There has been a huge
response from the public to the | 0:08:17 | 0:08:20 | |
conservation and I want to thank
everyone of the respondents. We have | 0:08:20 | 0:08:27 | |
considered all the evidence,
consulted widely, with regulators | 0:08:27 | 0:08:32 | |
and publications, and the world has
changed since the livers and enquiry | 0:08:32 | 0:08:40 | |
was established and we have seen a
side the lead actress Isaac | 0:08:40 | 0:08:44 | |
Chamberlain the landscape of the
media. The work of the enquiry has | 0:08:44 | 0:08:49 | |
had a huge impact. We thank Sir
Brian for lending his delegation at | 0:08:49 | 0:08:56 | |
national and local levels. A press
to hold the powerful to account is | 0:08:56 | 0:09:01 | |
an essential component of our
journalism. Received a press and a | 0:09:01 | 0:09:09 | |
media that is robust and
independently regulated. The steps I | 0:09:09 | 0:09:17 | |
have set out today will help give
Britain a press to hold the powers | 0:09:17 | 0:09:25 | |
that are to account. Thank you Mr
Speaker. As I have said through you | 0:09:25 | 0:09:36 | |
before timing is everything in
politics. If I'm looking breathless | 0:09:36 | 0:09:40 | |
and fatigued this morning it is
because I have carried a heavy load, | 0:09:40 | 0:09:47 | |
in the gym, lifting weights,
visualising Paul Dacre. For those | 0:09:47 | 0:09:54 | |
increasing number of colleagues who
do not read the Daily Mail any more, | 0:09:54 | 0:09:59 | |
I refer them to my register of
members interests. I think should | 0:09:59 | 0:10:06 | |
take Mosley issue head-on, and if I
thought for one moment he held those | 0:10:06 | 0:10:15 | |
views contained in the leaflet of 57
years ago I would not have given him | 0:10:15 | 0:10:20 | |
the time of day. He is a man though
who in the face of great family | 0:10:20 | 0:10:26 | |
tragedy and overwhelming media
intimidation just uses emitted | 0:10:26 | 0:10:35 | |
resources to support the weak
against the strong. And on this | 0:10:35 | 0:10:39 | |
issue I would like to thank the
secretary of state or his statement | 0:10:39 | 0:10:44 | |
is not just in the last half-hour
but over and over again. Yeah after | 0:10:44 | 0:10:49 | |
year. This announcement,
conveniently timed to be buried | 0:10:49 | 0:10:57 | |
under a flurry of snow is a
disappointment, a breach of trust, | 0:10:57 | 0:11:01 | |
and a bitter blow to the victims of
press intrusion... But it is not in | 0:11:01 | 0:11:08 | |
any way a surprise. We know now for
certain what we have suspected all | 0:11:08 | 0:11:15 | |
the time. Conservative Prime
Minister David Cameron joined other | 0:11:15 | 0:11:20 | |
party leaders to say he would keep
his promises to the victims of phone | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
hacking, he and his party were
acting not out of conviction that | 0:11:23 | 0:11:28 | |
out of weakness and for a breach
period of time and for the first | 0:11:28 | 0:11:35 | |
time ever, there was more to be
gained politically by political | 0:11:35 | 0:11:40 | |
parties from standing up to the
tabloid media and bowing down to it. | 0:11:40 | 0:11:47 | |
And when every Conservative MP then
important back this policy including | 0:11:47 | 0:11:52 | |
the current Prime Minister and the
present Secretary of State they did | 0:11:52 | 0:11:56 | |
not really mean it. They were
waiting for winds to change, waiting | 0:11:56 | 0:12:00 | |
for the fast to die down, waiting
for a time when they could as | 0:12:00 | 0:12:06 | |
quietly as possible break their
promises. Today Mr Speaker the time | 0:12:06 | 0:12:12 | |
has finally come. We knew what the
Conservatives really thought when | 0:12:12 | 0:12:17 | |
successive secretaries and state
refused to implement section 40 of | 0:12:17 | 0:12:23 | |
the crime of Courts act, the part of
the Levenson system that would | 0:12:23 | 0:12:27 | |
provide access to justice for
ordinary citizens. While offering | 0:12:27 | 0:12:32 | |
protections to journalists and
newspapers which signed up to any | 0:12:32 | 0:12:36 | |
Levenson complied self-regulatory
body. The papers absurdly cherish | 0:12:36 | 0:12:41 | |
you heard it as state regulation and
point instead to the independence of | 0:12:41 | 0:12:47 | |
their alternative non-Levenson
complied regulation ipso. The | 0:12:47 | 0:12:51 | |
government still has too scared to
make the case for its own policy and | 0:12:51 | 0:12:57 | |
finally today it is formally
capitulating. And they capitulate to | 0:12:57 | 0:13:03 | |
on the question of whether to
complete the investigation into how | 0:13:03 | 0:13:05 | |
phone hacking happened, and what is
happening now? Underlying the phone | 0:13:05 | 0:13:13 | |
hacking scandal we saw one of the
biggest corporate scandals and one | 0:13:13 | 0:13:18 | |
of the biggest corporate governance
failures of modern times. The | 0:13:18 | 0:13:23 | |
Secretary of State say the terms of
reference of levels and to have | 0:13:23 | 0:13:26 | |
largely been met. But I don't agree.
Here are some of the things Levenson | 0:13:26 | 0:13:33 | |
two was supposed to guess to get. To
enquire into the extent of | 0:13:33 | 0:13:38 | |
illegality at News International. To
enquire into the way that police | 0:13:38 | 0:13:43 | |
investigated allegations into News
International and other groups. To | 0:13:43 | 0:13:50 | |
enquire into corrupt police
agreements and Robert investigation | 0:13:50 | 0:13:53 | |
of complaints. To enquire into the
extent of corporate governance and | 0:13:53 | 0:14:00 | |
management failures at News
International and the organisation | 0:14:00 | 0:14:03 | |
none of these questions have been
answered. And by betraying the | 0:14:03 | 0:14:08 | |
victims of phone hacking in this
statement today the Secretary of | 0:14:08 | 0:14:13 | |
State is trying to ensure that they
never will be. So can I ask him if | 0:14:13 | 0:14:18 | |
it is revealed that the criminality
that took place at News of the World | 0:14:18 | 0:14:24 | |
extended to other newspapers, will
he reconsider his position. The last | 0:14:24 | 0:14:30 | |
thing the Murdoch and other empires
wanted was for an enquiry, with | 0:14:30 | 0:14:37 | |
powers and the axe to gets documents
and get their dirty laundry. The | 0:14:37 | 0:14:47 | |
last thing they wanted was more
attention of their methods. At a | 0:14:47 | 0:14:53 | |
time where it may be revealed that
other papers not necessarily the | 0:14:53 | 0:14:56 | |
ones at the heart of the scandal
were also involved in criminality, | 0:14:56 | 0:14:59 | |
they have been lobbying today, hard,
for today's outcome. They would give | 0:14:59 | 0:15:07 | |
the secretary of state a man who
enjoys favourable headlines plaudits | 0:15:07 | 0:15:11 | |
in tomorrow's leader columns. We
already know Paul Dacre and rebut | 0:15:11 | 0:15:17 | |
Modoc and the Barclay brothers have
proved that the secretary of state | 0:15:17 | 0:15:20 | |
statements, after all they write it.
He could have chosen to do the right | 0:15:20 | 0:15:28 | |
thing. But he chose not to stand up
to the tabloid style newspapers | 0:15:28 | 0:15:32 | |
robbing other Prime Minister in this
government. He could have pulled the | 0:15:32 | 0:15:37 | |
rug from under them, they could pull
it from him whenever they choose. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:47 | |
Let me close with David Cameron's
words to the Levenson enquiry in | 0:15:47 | 0:15:50 | |
June 9012. I will never forget
meeting the family in Downing Street | 0:15:50 | 0:16:01 | |
to run through terms of this enquiry
with and to hear what they have been | 0:16:01 | 0:16:05 | |
through. How it is redoubled,
trebled the pain and agony there | 0:16:05 | 0:16:09 | |
been through over losing Millie. I
will never forget that. That is the | 0:16:09 | 0:16:15 | |
test of all of this. It is not do
the politicians or the press feel | 0:16:15 | 0:16:19 | |
happy with what we get? It's are we
really look protecting people who | 0:16:19 | 0:16:23 | |
have been caught up and thrown to
the Wolf by this process. That is | 0:16:23 | 0:16:29 | |
what the test is. The secretary of
state will prosper politically from | 0:16:29 | 0:16:35 | |
this statement today. But he has
failed that test. Thank you Mr | 0:16:35 | 0:16:41 | |
Speaker. Now of course the case of
the victims of press intrusion is an | 0:16:41 | 0:16:50 | |
incredibly important consideration
in making these judgments but I make | 0:16:50 | 0:16:57 | |
these judgments not based on the
register of members interests but on | 0:16:57 | 0:17:01 | |
the basis of national interests and
the issues faced by the victims had | 0:17:01 | 0:17:06 | |
been looked into in the enquiry, in
the three police investigations, and | 0:17:06 | 0:17:15 | |
the issues of the future of our
media include this but are much, | 0:17:15 | 0:17:19 | |
much broader than it. He stands at
the dispatch box and talked about | 0:17:19 | 0:17:27 | |
the greed of the media but proposals
from inside his side of the press | 0:17:27 | 0:17:32 | |
would lead to a press bettered but
not free. We do not love every story | 0:17:32 | 0:17:37 | |
that is written about us in the
press but the idea that the solution | 0:17:37 | 0:17:42 | |
lies in shackling our free press
with the punitive costs of any | 0:17:42 | 0:17:47 | |
complainant is completely wrong and
that the honourable gentleman | 0:17:47 | 0:17:55 | |
opposite nose and we all know where
he is coming from on the issue of | 0:17:55 | 0:18:00 | |
press freedom, he is tied up with
the opponents of press freedom. The | 0:18:00 | 0:18:07 | |
democratic countries face huge
challenges in making sure that we | 0:18:07 | 0:18:09 | |
have robust but fair discussions in
public life and the approach | 0:18:09 | 0:18:14 | |
proposed by his side of the house
would make it even harder. He talks | 0:18:14 | 0:18:20 | |
about keeping promises and we are
keeping promises made to ask | 0:18:20 | 0:18:25 | |
constituents who elected us on this
side on the manifesto to support a | 0:18:25 | 0:18:31 | |
free press, and he talks about the
need to look into the past, but | 0:18:31 | 0:18:36 | |
there have been investigations and
enquiries costing many millions of | 0:18:36 | 0:18:40 | |
pounds and my judgment is that it is
not proportional and in the natural | 0:18:40 | 0:18:45 | |
interest to follow with millions of
pounds more. So the message should | 0:18:45 | 0:18:53 | |
go out loud and clear from this
house that we support every single | 0:18:53 | 0:18:56 | |
local newspaper in this country, big
or small, these publications, and | 0:18:56 | 0:19:03 | |
that is why we propose real and
meaningful solutions for a vibrant | 0:19:03 | 0:19:08 | |
and free and independent press and
we will face up to the challenges | 0:19:08 | 0:19:11 | |
that we see before us today and I
hope the honourable gentleman and | 0:19:11 | 0:19:16 | |
his party will come to support us in
this because we need a strong | 0:19:16 | 0:19:23 | |
democratic discourse over the
future. The secretary of state | 0:19:23 | 0:19:33 | |
public predecessor spies the select
committee that we would feel a full | 0:19:33 | 0:19:37 | |
response to the commission. We have
yet to receive that, can he give me | 0:19:37 | 0:19:41 | |
a assurance that the members will
receive that in good time before his | 0:19:41 | 0:19:47 | |
appearance in front of the select
committee on the 14th of March? I | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
have not only made this statement
today but also will be publishing | 0:19:50 | 0:19:54 | |
the full response to the
consultation with good details and | 0:19:54 | 0:20:04 | |
look forward to the select committee
to discuss the question narrowly and | 0:20:04 | 0:20:08 | |
also the wider actions to be taken
she plays a full part in and take a | 0:20:08 | 0:20:13 | |
full basis for discourse in this
country. I thank the Secretary of | 0:20:13 | 0:20:21 | |
State for his statement. The
secretary of State will no, I wrote | 0:20:21 | 0:20:26 | |
to him on the 25th of February
seeking an update on the progress of | 0:20:26 | 0:20:31 | |
this enquiry and asking if and when
it would be incremented, I pleased | 0:20:31 | 0:20:36 | |
it has come to the dispatch box at
least today to firefighter. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:50 | |
Our position has always been that
should a UK wide part two of leather | 0:20:50 | 0:20:55 | |
soon go ahead, this must take into
account the distinct legal content | 0:20:55 | 0:21:00 | |
in Scotland. We believe all
individuals should have a right to | 0:21:00 | 0:21:03 | |
redress when they feel they have
been victims of malpractice. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:07 | |
However, the Scottish Government has
no plans to introduce statutory | 0:21:07 | 0:21:12 | |
today plans to... Are areas that are
clearly within devolved competence | 0:21:12 | 0:21:21 | |
for Scottish Parliament. Can hear
sure is going forward that he will | 0:21:21 | 0:21:26 | |
respect the devolution settlement
and respect independence of the | 0:21:26 | 0:21:30 | |
Scottish legal system? And does he
agree that by not doing so he would | 0:21:30 | 0:21:35 | |
set a dangerous precedent when
determining the ability of the | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
Scottish Parliament to take
decisions in devolved areas? Well, | 0:21:38 | 0:21:44 | |
Mr Speaker, I agree wholeheartedly
with what the SNP spokesman has | 0:21:44 | 0:21:50 | |
said. It is of course part of the
devolution settlement that these | 0:21:50 | 0:21:55 | |
issues are dealt with in Scotland.
And I of course respect the separate | 0:21:55 | 0:22:01 | |
and distinct legal system in this
area. Now he asked about whether we | 0:22:01 | 0:22:07 | |
would respect that going forward. He
will know as well as I do that there | 0:22:07 | 0:22:11 | |
are amendments put in by the data
protection Bill by which we have the | 0:22:11 | 0:22:17 | |
second reading on Monday. With
respect to data protection only | 0:22:17 | 0:22:23 | |
called for and with wire at Levenson
to type enquiry and the commencement | 0:22:23 | 0:22:30 | |
of section 40 on a UK wide basis.
And I look forward to discussing | 0:22:30 | 0:22:35 | |
with him how we can make sure that
we have the respect we need for the | 0:22:35 | 0:22:40 | |
devolution settlement and for the
Scottish press and it is my view | 0:22:40 | 0:22:45 | |
that the single best way that we can
deal with this problem that he | 0:22:45 | 0:22:49 | |
rightly raises is to dispose with
those amendments in their entirety. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:55 | |
I very strongly welcome my right
honourable friend's statement. Does | 0:22:55 | 0:22:58 | |
he agree that now more than ever
newspapers play a vital role in | 0:22:58 | 0:23:03 | |
holding both government and
opposition to account? And he's | 0:23:03 | 0:23:07 | |
absolutely right that rather than
looking backwards at the events of | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
ten years ago and adding to the
costs of local newspapers, we should | 0:23:11 | 0:23:15 | |
be supporting newspapers in meeting
the challenges of the Internet | 0:23:15 | 0:23:20 | |
giants. Well, I agree with my right
honourable friend wholeheartedly, | 0:23:20 | 0:23:25 | |
not least because as points out one
of the jobs that you have got to do | 0:23:25 | 0:23:31 | |
when you are Secretary of State is
look forward and look at the | 0:23:31 | 0:23:34 | |
problems that we have today and how
we solve them. And the problem that | 0:23:34 | 0:23:38 | |
he raises about local newspapers
isn't a marginal or a side issue. | 0:23:38 | 0:23:44 | |
Over 200 local papers have closed in
the past decade and a bit, including | 0:23:44 | 0:23:49 | |
local papers in my patch and I do
not want to see that. I do not want | 0:23:49 | 0:23:55 | |
to see that accelerated by the
actions of this House and that is | 0:23:55 | 0:23:58 | |
what would happen if we do not take
the course of action | 0:23:58 | 0:24:11 | |
that we have put forward today.
Having spent many hours with the | 0:24:17 | 0:24:20 | |
Dowling family and with Christopher
Jefferies and many others, can I | 0:24:20 | 0:24:22 | |
just say on behalf of all the
victims that many of us will feel | 0:24:22 | 0:24:25 | |
that the Secretary of State has just
shoved another little knife in our | 0:24:25 | 0:24:27 | |
heart. In all honesty, we had hoped
that the promises were real | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
promises. Promises that we would get
to the truth, not just of the bits | 0:24:30 | 0:24:32 | |
and pieces that were able to be
dealt with as Sir Brian says but the | 0:24:32 | 0:24:36 | |
elements that were expressly
excluded from that original | 0:24:36 | 0:24:39 | |
investigation, in particular the
collusion of the Metropolitan Police | 0:24:39 | 0:24:42 | |
with the press, which could not be
looked at all. And I do find it | 0:24:42 | 0:24:48 | |
inconceivable that he only talks
about the freedom of the press when | 0:24:48 | 0:24:52 | |
there are of course the feeling that
the press is important but too many | 0:24:52 | 0:24:57 | |
others of us it's also important
that politicians should be able to | 0:24:57 | 0:25:00 | |
speak without fear or favour. And
that means we should no longer be | 0:25:00 | 0:25:06 | |
cowed by press barons, we should be
able to do what is right for | 0:25:06 | 0:25:10 | |
society. Simply ask for the
Secretary of State, if everything | 0:25:10 | 0:25:13 | |
that he said today's true, why on
earth did the government make all | 0:25:13 | 0:25:17 | |
those promises in the past and why
did he vote for the legislation? | 0:25:17 | 0:25:25 | |
Well, the world has changed since
2011 and the truth is that the rise | 0:25:25 | 0:25:29 | |
of the Internet means that some of
the issues that he rightly raises | 0:25:29 | 0:25:32 | |
about making sure that the debates
that we have is a reasonable one and | 0:25:32 | 0:25:39 | |
not based on abuse and bullying is
much, much broader and it is | 0:25:39 | 0:25:45 | |
tackling the problems of today that
is our task now. Now, of course | 0:25:45 | 0:25:52 | |
there were abuses that were looked
into in the enquiry and they have | 0:25:52 | 0:25:58 | |
been looked into by the police in
three investigations with over 40 | 0:25:58 | 0:26:03 | |
criminal convictions since. And the
judgment that we have to make is | 0:26:03 | 0:26:06 | |
what is the best thing to do for the
future of this country where the way | 0:26:06 | 0:26:11 | |
in which we debate politics, make
decisions, is under challenge | 0:26:11 | 0:26:16 | |
because of new technology in a way
that it has not been for decades if | 0:26:16 | 0:26:20 | |
not centuries and getting those
solutions right is mission-critical, | 0:26:20 | 0:26:24 | |
I would suggest, to our future as a
liberal democracy and that is where | 0:26:24 | 0:26:29 | |
we're putting our to. I welcome the
Secretary of State's response to the | 0:26:29 | 0:26:37 | |
consultation and the concerns raised
about section 40. Could the | 0:26:37 | 0:26:42 | |
Secretary of State outline further
its potential impact on the | 0:26:42 | 0:26:45 | |
viability of local newspapers such
as the long meeting Chronicle and | 0:26:45 | 0:26:50 | |
others in my constituency? Well, she
mentions three local papers and what | 0:26:50 | 0:26:57 | |
I would say is because of the nature
of section 40 of the crime and | 0:26:57 | 0:27:03 | |
Courts act, anybody making a
complaint will have the costs | 0:27:03 | 0:27:10 | |
awarded to the newspaper and not to
the complainant if they are not a | 0:27:10 | 0:27:16 | |
member of a Royal Charter approved
regulator. And that means that | 0:27:16 | 0:27:22 | |
anybody making any complaint would
effectively be able to stop a | 0:27:22 | 0:27:28 | |
journalist from pursuing a story, as
set out by Alistair Campbell very | 0:27:28 | 0:27:32 | |
eloquently I thought. And the
situation I thought the Reed has | 0:27:32 | 0:27:36 | |
changed since 2011 because nobody
imagined that self regulator in it | 0:27:36 | 0:27:40 | |
so would come to the fore, which now
covers 95% of national newspapers, | 0:27:40 | 0:27:46 | |
which has a low-cost arbitration
system and can require the | 0:27:46 | 0:27:49 | |
corrections to be put in place. Now
it is not perfect and I hope they | 0:27:49 | 0:27:54 | |
make further progress but nobody
imagined that it would be there at | 0:27:54 | 0:27:58 | |
all and so we have a better system
than was in place and that allows | 0:27:58 | 0:28:04 | |
both for redress but also from local
newspapers to thrive as much as | 0:28:04 | 0:28:07 | |
possible. | 0:28:07 | 0:28:17 | |
I welcome my honourable friend's
statements because I believe that | 0:28:18 | 0:28:22 | |
whilst newspapers often make the
life it intolerable they make in Day | 0:28:22 | 0:28:29 | |
complacency impossible. I do worry
about local newspapers and I welcome | 0:28:29 | 0:28:32 | |
what you said about section 40
because we used to have three, we | 0:28:32 | 0:28:36 | |
now have one and we have a very good
Internet site but could I ask my | 0:28:36 | 0:28:44 | |
honourable friend what other things
he's going to do to help strengthen | 0:28:44 | 0:28:48 | |
local newspapers? This is an
important question and we are | 0:28:48 | 0:28:51 | |
working hard on what we can do
through this review of the | 0:28:51 | 0:28:54 | |
sustainability of the press, with
which I hope that he and Harlow | 0:28:54 | 0:28:58 | |
start will engage with to make sure
that we support not just from the | 0:28:58 | 0:29:05 | |
big organisations such as the BBC
and big Internet giants but also | 0:29:05 | 0:29:08 | |
commercial models that work
effectively to deliver news locally | 0:29:08 | 0:29:11 | |
and nationally. I am very
disappointed with the statement the | 0:29:11 | 0:29:21 | |
secretary of State has made today
and feel personally let down by the | 0:29:21 | 0:29:25 | |
comments he has made in answer to
some of the questions. I'd like to | 0:29:25 | 0:29:29 | |
know what is in this for the victims
of phone hacking and press abuse? | 0:29:29 | 0:29:35 | |
What does the Secretary of State say
to that dour and Hillsborough | 0:29:35 | 0:29:38 | |
families and other countless victims
of the appalling press abuse? There | 0:29:38 | 0:29:46 | |
is nothing in this, the promises
that were made to them by a | 0:29:46 | 0:29:51 | |
Conservative Prime Minister and the
legislation that was voted on by the | 0:29:51 | 0:29:57 | |
Secretary of State, times have not
changed for the victims and there is | 0:29:57 | 0:29:59 | |
nothing in this for them. What will
he say to them? Well, what I have | 0:29:59 | 0:30:05 | |
said and what I will say to them is
that we have to make sure that the | 0:30:05 | 0:30:11 | |
media and news industry that we have
in the UK can hold the powerful to | 0:30:11 | 0:30:18 | |
account and can respond to today's
challenges. And that means facing | 0:30:18 | 0:30:23 | |
the country as it is now, including
with the stronger press | 0:30:23 | 0:30:28 | |
self-regulation that we have but
also making sure that we take the | 0:30:28 | 0:30:34 | |
wider context into account, which is
that there is an undermining of the | 0:30:34 | 0:30:38 | |
ability to have an objective and the
positive political discussion | 0:30:38 | 0:30:43 | |
because of the technology that's
available. And in that the proposals | 0:30:43 | 0:30:48 | |
that were set out over five, six
years ago, they would make these | 0:30:48 | 0:30:54 | |
challenges and worse rather than
better. I welcome the statement | 0:30:54 | 0:31:04 | |
today. Does my right honourable
friend agree that as the press, | 0:31:04 | 0:31:09 | |
local press and national press has a
critical role in holding politicians | 0:31:09 | 0:31:13 | |
are powerful to account and state
regulation is highly undesirable in | 0:31:13 | 0:31:19 | |
a democracy. I am concerned by some
statements that they seem to think | 0:31:19 | 0:31:30 | |
that state control of newspapers is
a good idea. As a former journalist, | 0:31:30 | 0:31:37 | |
Secretary of State, I am utterly
dismayed by your statement today. I | 0:31:37 | 0:31:40 | |
value freedom of the press but does
the Secretary of State not see the | 0:31:40 | 0:31:46 | |
sad irony in talking about how they
press has helped the powerful to | 0:31:46 | 0:31:51 | |
account and then closing the door on
our opportunity to hold the powerful | 0:31:51 | 0:31:57 | |
voices of the press to account on
behalf of the victims. Victims who | 0:31:57 | 0:32:03 | |
were promised, promised, the sort of
legislation in section 40 that you | 0:32:03 | 0:32:08 | |
are now turning away from. And
frankly, the problems faced by local | 0:32:08 | 0:32:13 | |
newspapers and the newspaper
industry in general are nothing to | 0:32:13 | 0:32:16 | |
do with leather scent. They are to
do with modern technology. So | 0:32:16 | 0:32:22 | |
wilfully Secretary of State
reconsider thinking about the | 0:32:22 | 0:32:24 | |
victims of this and giving them a
chance to raise legitimate concerns | 0:32:24 | 0:32:29 | |
under section 40? I agree with her
that there has been a big change | 0:32:29 | 0:32:35 | |
because of modern technology and I
want to make sure that we have | 0:32:35 | 0:32:39 | |
high-quality journalism in the
future and I want to make sure that | 0:32:39 | 0:32:42 | |
that can't be undermined by any
complainant having costs awarded to | 0:32:42 | 0:32:47 | |
the newspaper for any complaint.
That is no way to organise a system | 0:32:47 | 0:32:54 | |
of press regulation and instead what
we have got to do is make sure that | 0:32:54 | 0:33:00 | |
we have sustainable business models
for high quality journalists so just | 0:33:00 | 0:33:03 | |
as she had the opportunity to be a
journalist in the past, so we have | 0:33:03 | 0:33:07 | |
that opportunity for people in the
future. I also welcome the Secretary | 0:33:07 | 0:33:13 | |
of State's statements and
particularly what he said about | 0:33:13 | 0:33:16 | |
section 40. I also agree what he
says about local press stop is aware | 0:33:16 | 0:33:22 | |
that publishing company have
recently bought a newspaper in my | 0:33:22 | 0:33:28 | |
constituency... I'm confident about
the future? Well, I am absolutely | 0:33:28 | 0:33:32 | |
delighted to hear it. It is not the
national norm to hear that about the | 0:33:32 | 0:33:37 | |
local press but it does show that
there are sustainable business | 0:33:37 | 0:33:41 | |
models can be found. I'm absolutely
delighted about that. And I want to | 0:33:41 | 0:33:45 | |
do everything I can to make sure
that there are sustainable business | 0:33:45 | 0:33:49 | |
models for high-quality journalism
and that includes not adding extra | 0:33:49 | 0:33:53 | |
costs on to the local press. Rebecca
Brooks Amanda Coulson came in front | 0:33:53 | 0:34:00 | |
of this House and admitted to
committing crimes by the bribing | 0:34:00 | 0:34:05 | |
police officers, such was the scale
of their arrogance and the feeling | 0:34:05 | 0:34:08 | |
that they were so powerful that they
could take on Parliament, that they | 0:34:08 | 0:34:12 | |
have the Metropolitan Police in
their pockets. That is the scale of | 0:34:12 | 0:34:15 | |
where we were at when the Minister
voted in favour of the legislation | 0:34:15 | 0:34:19 | |
that he is now trying to appeal. Has
he forgotten what happened to those | 0:34:19 | 0:34:24 | |
people? The duty of us in this House
is to give a voice to people who are | 0:34:24 | 0:34:30 | |
weak and vulnerable and we as
members of Parliament have a duty to | 0:34:30 | 0:34:35 | |
stand up for them and he has failed
to do that today. Well, the | 0:34:35 | 0:34:39 | |
honourable member makes an extremely
powerful case for just how much they | 0:34:39 | 0:34:44 | |
Leveson Inquiry looked into
everything in this area and followed | 0:34:44 | 0:34:50 | |
by three police investigations. And
this is my central point, is that we | 0:34:50 | 0:34:55 | |
looked into these things as a
society. We have a comprehensive | 0:34:55 | 0:34:59 | |
Leveson Inquiry. We spent £48
million of taxpayer's money doing | 0:34:59 | 0:35:04 | |
so. As he said, there were criminal
convictions as a result and some | 0:35:04 | 0:35:08 | |
people were jailed and now my job
Secretary of State is to look | 0:35:08 | 0:35:12 | |
forward at what the country needs
for the future. Cover Secretary of | 0:35:12 | 0:35:16 | |
State reassure me that the new
regulatory framework is working well | 0:35:16 | 0:35:24 | |
for victims and is much cheaper and
easier than those regulations that | 0:35:24 | 0:35:29 | |
were in force at the time of
Leveson. What I what I can tell the | 0:35:29 | 0:35:35 | |
House is that we have they knew self
regulator. Secondly, that it has | 0:35:35 | 0:35:41 | |
introduced a low-cost arbitrator in
scheme. Thirdly that it requires | 0:35:41 | 0:35:48 | |
corrections including multiple
front-page collections but that we | 0:35:48 | 0:35:49 | |
would also like | 0:35:49 | 0:37:00 | |
Unfairly pilloried, could he have
explained to the house why he isn't | 0:37:12 | 0:37:18 | |
any forward the recommendation to
further the recommendation on | 0:37:18 | 0:37:22 | |
amended terms. Accuracy is part of
the code against which complaints | 0:37:22 | 0:37:29 | |
are considered and therefore
corrections and apologies can be | 0:37:29 | 0:37:36 | |
required by outdips regulated
newspaper so on the first point | 0:37:36 | 0:37:41 | |
which is very important, accuracy is
a court to the redress. It is | 0:37:41 | 0:37:50 | |
critical that we have a regulatory
system for the press but it is also | 0:37:50 | 0:37:55 | |
critical that it is is not a
regulatory system put in press by | 0:37:55 | 0:38:00 | |
politicians but rather one put into
place by the press themselves. Many | 0:38:00 | 0:38:08 | |
years ago I was libelled by a
newspaper and took them to court and | 0:38:08 | 0:38:12 | |
won. That was one of the most
stressful times in my whole career | 0:38:12 | 0:38:17 | |
as a member of Parliament. Because
he suddenly wake up with the power | 0:38:17 | 0:38:23 | |
of the great newspaper with the
resources and an ability to mount | 0:38:23 | 0:38:26 | |
costs and bring pressure to you and
that was for a member of Parliament. | 0:38:26 | 0:38:29 | |
Just please think in your democracy
minister what this means for an | 0:38:29 | 0:38:36 | |
ordinary person, one of the
constituents taken on by someone | 0:38:36 | 0:38:40 | |
like the Daily Mail, life traduced,
family ruined and with so little | 0:38:40 | 0:38:44 | |
ability to stand up for themselves
and their family. Will he think | 0:38:44 | 0:38:50 | |
again on this because as far as I
can see if you read the Daily Mail | 0:38:50 | 0:38:54 | |
this week not much has happened.
Having firstly of course with libel | 0:38:54 | 0:39:01 | |
laws critically in this space in the
low cost scheme brought in by ipso | 0:39:01 | 0:39:10 | |
is designed precisely to address
this question and making sure that | 0:39:10 | 0:39:12 | |
works is important. I agree with my
right honourable friend about | 0:39:12 | 0:39:23 | |
section 40. I don't agree with
personalised attacks on him but can | 0:39:23 | 0:39:32 | |
I bring him back to the second part
of my honourable friend for Harrow | 0:39:32 | 0:39:37 | |
East about the amended terms of
lives on. Sir Brian Levenson is | 0:39:37 | 0:39:43 | |
probably one of the most experienced
judges in criminal matters in this | 0:39:43 | 0:39:46 | |
country and identified in detail the
issue of criminal collusion between | 0:39:46 | 0:39:51 | |
corrupt police officers and corrupt
journalists. Anyone knows the | 0:39:51 | 0:39:55 | |
criminal justice system knows that
has not gone away and continues. | 0:39:55 | 0:40:00 | |
Absent of lives and to an revised
terms what will the government do to | 0:40:00 | 0:40:04 | |
expose and deal with it? There have
of course been changes to policing, | 0:40:04 | 0:40:10 | |
not least the code of ethics and
national guidance for police | 0:40:10 | 0:40:14 | |
officers and the changes in the
policing and crime act and I | 0:40:14 | 0:40:18 | |
apologise to my right honourable
friend from Harrow that I didn't | 0:40:18 | 0:40:21 | |
address the second part of this
question. We are taking forward the | 0:40:21 | 0:40:28 | |
need to look at and insurer we have
high quality in journalism in this | 0:40:28 | 0:40:40 | |
country, including the press but
also online where a huge amount of | 0:40:40 | 0:40:44 | |
news is now consumed, and I am happy
to talk to him about what he thinks | 0:40:44 | 0:40:50 | |
needs to be done what I want to do
is make sure we address the bones as | 0:40:50 | 0:40:57 | |
I have said that we still face today
Jim Shelton. Our behalf of the | 0:40:57 | 0:41:03 | |
Democratic Unionist Party, we are
listening but we remain concerned | 0:41:03 | 0:41:09 | |
that the Northern Ireland newsrooms
and papers have seemingly got off | 0:41:09 | 0:41:15 | |
scot-free in the first enquiries the
Minister state how the landscape has | 0:41:15 | 0:41:20 | |
changed and so Brian initiated the
reporter where we think we are now | 0:41:20 | 0:41:23 | |
in light of our concerns? There has
been a change, not least in the | 0:41:23 | 0:41:31 | |
wider media, landscape, that we have
talked about but also in terms of | 0:41:31 | 0:41:35 | |
the redress available and self
regulation which is much tougher | 0:41:35 | 0:41:40 | |
with the introduction of ipso and
the ability for people to go through | 0:41:40 | 0:41:45 | |
arbitration, and so in terms of
addressing problems in the press | 0:41:45 | 0:41:47 | |
going forwards, we have the means of
redress now and I hope that will be | 0:41:47 | 0:41:54 | |
strengthened. Simon, while this
celebrate a free press, are we not | 0:41:54 | 0:42:08 | |
also right to demand a responsible
press as well? With freedom comes | 0:42:08 | 0:42:14 | |
responsibility. I my friend have
shared thoughts on whether it is | 0:42:14 | 0:42:23 | |
responsible to open in a democracy a
hand back racially tainted money. On | 0:42:23 | 0:42:34 | |
the second point he raises a very
important question that I am sure | 0:42:34 | 0:42:37 | |
the honourable gentleman opposite
will be thinking heavily about. He | 0:42:37 | 0:42:41 | |
has now admitted it was a mistake to
take this money. On the first point, | 0:42:41 | 0:42:48 | |
the press in online, take this on
responsibly. Though the secretary of | 0:42:48 | 0:43:00 | |
state agreed to meet the Dowler
family, Christopher Jefferies, and | 0:43:00 | 0:43:05 | |
the McCanns to explain to them while
this Conservative government is | 0:43:05 | 0:43:11 | |
breaking the promise given by
Conservative Prime Minister? As I | 0:43:11 | 0:43:16 | |
said I have already met some of the
victims and have already extended an | 0:43:16 | 0:43:23 | |
invitation to meet the victims and
to meet hacked off in order to | 0:43:23 | 0:43:28 | |
discuss what we're doing today and
in the future. Thank you Mr Speaker. | 0:43:28 | 0:43:33 | |
In my 15 years at the Telegraph I
have limited experience of the | 0:43:33 | 0:43:40 | |
present base commission but I insert
your that ipso is a profoundly | 0:43:40 | 0:43:44 | |
different regulator with barbed ETA
powers and more teeth and can I say | 0:43:44 | 0:43:48 | |
to him that section 40 would have a
chilling effect not just on our | 0:43:48 | 0:43:52 | |
local papers that on one national
papers as well and can I say finally | 0:43:52 | 0:43:57 | |
that's the ace use facing us today,
we have better freedom of press and | 0:43:57 | 0:44:08 | |
our accountability than the
alternative course of action that | 0:44:08 | 0:44:10 | |
the opposition would like to see. My
noble friend speaks with great | 0:44:10 | 0:44:15 | |
authority on this because not only
was he a journalist but a journalist | 0:44:15 | 0:44:19 | |
of technology and so understands the
impact of journalism in a personal | 0:44:19 | 0:44:26 | |
way and I agree entirely with what
he has said. On the importance of | 0:44:26 | 0:44:31 | |
having press that Canberra port
without fear and favour it makes | 0:44:31 | 0:44:37 | |
sure the powerful are held to
account, it sounds glib but | 0:44:37 | 0:44:43 | |
accountability is critical to good
decision-making because it is only | 0:44:43 | 0:44:47 | |
when you can have full
accountability for decisions made | 0:44:47 | 0:44:50 | |
that you have your feet held to the
fire and he thinks really hard about | 0:44:50 | 0:44:53 | |
the courses of action available. Sir
Bryan believes the enquiry should | 0:44:53 | 0:45:01 | |
continue albeit in a different form.
The victims who were promised in | 0:45:01 | 0:45:05 | |
person by David Cameron believe the
enquiry would Ginny. Those victims | 0:45:05 | 0:45:10 | |
have been betrayed today. The
Secretary of State today like the | 0:45:10 | 0:45:13 | |
last one in the last time was that
the government overruled the wishes | 0:45:13 | 0:45:18 | |
of a gut government enquiry judge. I
am only looking at this enquiry and | 0:45:18 | 0:45:25 | |
what I had to do and what I have
done today is made a judgment about | 0:45:25 | 0:45:28 | |
what is in a natural interests of
the nation and I entirely understand | 0:45:28 | 0:45:31 | |
the concerns of the victims in this
pursuit. As we have heard from the | 0:45:31 | 0:45:40 | |
other side of the house, there have
been significant changes and the | 0:45:40 | 0:45:45 | |
enquiry was a significant
undertaking and led to a year-long | 0:45:45 | 0:45:51 | |
look at all these issues and all the
concerns of the victims and then | 0:45:51 | 0:45:57 | |
there were three police
investigations and over 14th | 0:45:57 | 0:46:00 | |
investigations so this hasn't been
looked into but looked into to the | 0:46:00 | 0:46:06 | |
tune of £48 million and therefore I
had to take a decision today on what | 0:46:06 | 0:46:11 | |
is and the national interests for
the country and that is what I have | 0:46:11 | 0:46:13 | |
done. Thank you Mr Speaker. I
welcome the statement on section 40 | 0:46:13 | 0:46:20 | |
today which would jeopardise
fantastic local papers in my | 0:46:20 | 0:46:24 | |
constituency. That the member for
Argyll and Bute, if the members | 0:46:24 | 0:46:34 | |
opposite 's proposal were taken
forward it would have serious | 0:46:34 | 0:46:40 | |
consequences. The amendments coming
before the house in coming months | 0:46:40 | 0:46:51 | |
would have gone negative impacts on
the devolution settlement that alone | 0:46:51 | 0:46:57 | |
one to go into. I am happy with the
devolution settlement in the area | 0:46:57 | 0:47:02 | |
and I think it is a good settlement
and I look forward to try to ensure | 0:47:02 | 0:47:05 |