View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
March 3, 2016

Whittingdale to meet Hacked Off, says decision on Leveson II will be made once criminal proceedings over

By PA Mediapoint and Press Gazette

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale is to meet press pressure group Hacked Off amid fears that a further inquiry into press ethics and phone-hacking has been shelved.

The Cabinet minister told MPs that a decision on the second part of the Leveson Inquiry would be examined once criminal proceedings have ended.

He reiterated this stage had yet to be reached, but said he would meet media reform campaign group Hacked Off in a few weeks.

The various Met Police investigations into journalists have not concluded. But Sun reporter Anthony France is pursuing an appeal against his conviction for being involved in payments to a police officer.

Allegations of phone-hacking at the News of the World led to the Leveson Inquiry, with Prime Minister David Cameron initially announcing in 2011 that it would be conducted in two parts.

The first reported in 2012 and examined the culture, practice and ethics of the press.

The second was expected to investigate alleged law-breaking and improper conduct within media organisations, the original police investigation into phone-hacking, and whether police were complicit in misconduct.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Today in the House of Commons, Norwich South Labour MP Clive Lewis asked Mr Whittingdale: "Will you tell the House why your Government has gone from promising victims of press abuse that part two of Leveson will happen to that it may happen?

"And could you also tell the House how many meetings you and your Cabinet colleagues have had with newspaper proprietors over the past year, and whether that was a topic of conversation?"

Whittingdale responded: "We have always said that any decisions about whether or not Leveson Two should take place will be taken once all the criminal proceedings have been completed.

"We are not at that stage – there are further criminal proceedings still under way. Once those are completed we will come back to look at this question.

"With regard to meetings with newspaper proprietors, with victims of press intrusion, with my ministerial colleagues, we regularly publish a record of all those meetings and of course I do have regular meetings with all of those.

"I'm also looking forward to having a further meeting with Hacked Off to discuss these matters in a few weeks time."

There were reports in December last year that the second part of the Leveson Inquiry would not take place.

The government had quietly decided to shelve it because of "limited political appetite" for another expensive and long judicial inquiry, The Times reported.

There was also a consensus that the issues due to be examined during the second section of the inquiry had already been covered in a series of trials involving allegations of phone-hacking and corrupt payments to police officers and other public servant, it said.

The Daily Mail reported a "well-placed insider" as describing taking over the Leveson Inquiry as "not something judges would be queuing up to do".

It said overseeing such an inquiry would not be considered vital for a judge to get promotion, so there would not be a clamour to be appointed to it.

"It is not something that is going to further your career," the Daily Mail quoted a source as saying.

It added that Lord Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice, was understood to have acknowledged that it would be "difficult" to find a judge to pick up the controversial inquiry.

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network