Thank you to those constituents who have contacted me about press standards. The press plays an important and valued role in our democracy. It is only right that they, as well as everyone else in a position of public trust, hold themselves to the highest ethical and journalistic standards.
As you know, Part One of the Leveson Inquiry recommended the creation of an independent press regulator to maintain standards and the Press Recognition Panel (PRP) was created in 2014 to oversee the recognition of press regulators. In 2016, the PRP formally approved IMPRESS as the UK’s first recognised press regulator.
However, as many of you say in your correspondence, many newspapers and publishers have instead opted for oversight from the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), which has not been formally recognised by the PRP and has no current plans to seek recognition.
In addition, section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 was designed to encourage publishers to sign up to an approved regulator. Under this provision, publishers outside a recognised regulator would be liable for the legal costs of both parties in any legal case against them, regardless of the outcome.
In May 2024, the Media Bill. enacted under the previous Government, repealed Section 40. The argument put forward was that Section 40 could restrict freedom of speech. It is worth noting, however, that this provision was never enacted. The current Government, while in Opposition, voted against its removal.
On the Leveson inquiry, the Prime Minister has confirmed that there are no current plans to revive its second stage. That said, I welcome the Government’s focus on updating the UK’s media merger laws. State Owned Investors will now be able to own a maximum of 15% of shares or voting rights in a newspaper or news magazine and online news is now included within the law.
The changes aim to better reflect today’s digital consumption habits and to protect UK news publications from undue influence by foreign states, while enabling legitimate investment. These reforms are designed to better protect media freedom and plurality, while ensuring the availability of accurate, high-quality news from diverse sources. I support these efforts to safeguard media independence and integrity in a rapidly changing landscape.
Thank you once again for contacting me. Please be assured that I will continue to bear in mind your thoughts on this important issue.
Best wishes
Rt Hon Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds South
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland