15/05/2018This afternoon, the House of Commons voted to remove from the Data Protection Bill an amendment made in the House of Lords which would have required the Government to complete the Leveson Inquiry. The Government opposed the amendment, although 3 senior MPs rebelled, and their majority was cut to 12.

Commenting, Hacked Off Executive Director Dr Evan Harris said,

“Today the Government have aided and abetted concealment and cover-up, in opposing the completion of an Inquiry into corruption across the press, the police and politicians. It is a sad day for freedom of information, trust in journalism, and press ethics, all of which will suffer from the Government’s capitulation to press owners.“But the fight goes on for the victims of press abuse, who will continue to campaign in Parliament and in the courts for a free and accountable press and the reforms they were promised.“Victims of the press are not surprised that certain newspaper barons and their editors want their wrong-doing covered up - they always have; but when politicians betray promises in return for favourable coverage then democracy suffers. When the next scandal in press ethics and illegality breaks, it is this Government which will have to take responsibility for selling out the public and the victims to press executives.” 

Notes

• Hacked Off is the campaign for a free and accountable press, and we work with the victims of press abuse to achieve those aims.

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