Leveson’s eleven: a rundown of the Inquiry

The Leveson Inquiry was set up in response to the ‘public revulsion’ at a murdered teenager’s phone being hacked. From November 2011 Lord Justice Leveson and his team took evidence from the public, press, police and politicians in order to make recommendations for the future of press regulation.

The 2000-page report criticises certain practices employed by ‘sub-cultures’ of the press, politicians becoming ‘too close’ to the press in the last 30-35 years in a way which ‘has not been in the public interest’, and the police being too close to the press.

The report makes several recommendations. Here are my top 11 points (if you disagree or think anything should be added please tell me in the comments below):

1. An independent self-regulatory body should be governed by an independent board. The members of this board should be appointed without influence from industry or government. The requirement for independence means that there should be no serving editors on the Board, but it should include people with relevant experience.

2. Funding should come from the industry and be an agreed fixed amount to cover a four or five year period.

3. The standards code must be adopted by the Board and take into account the importance of free speech, interests of the public and the rights of individuals.

4. The Board should have a speedy complaint handling mechanism. Complaints should be free of charge.

5. The Board should be able to direct appropriate remedial action for breach of standards and the publication of corrections and apologies. The Board should not have the power to prevent the publication of any material but should offer an advice service for editors.

6. The Board should have the power to impose appropriate and proportionate sanctions, including financial sanctions up to 1% of turnover or a maximum of £1m.

7. An arbitration service that is recognised by the courts and staffed by retired judges or senior lawyers with specialist knowledge of media law should be established. The service would be able to resolve disputes on an inquisitorial model, striking out unmeritorious claims and quickly resolving others.

8. A whistleblowing hotline should be established for journalists who feel they are being asked to do things which are contrary to the code.

9. The term ‘off-the-record briefing’ should be discontinued. ‘Non-reportable briefing should be used to cover a background briefing which is not to be reported.  

10. ACPO rank officers should record all of their contact with the media and this record should be publicly available.

11. Politicians should publish, on a quarterly basis, details of all meetings with media proprietors, newspaper editors or senior executives as well as the general nature of the discussions at these meetings.  

Government ministers are divided on the report and how the future should be shaped by it.