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George Eustice
George Eustice, one of the leaders of the 75 Tory MPs determined to see far tighter media regulation. Photograph: Teri Pengilley
George Eustice, one of the leaders of the 75 Tory MPs determined to see far tighter media regulation. Photograph: Teri Pengilley

Leading Tory supporter of Leveson reforms swings behind royal charter

This article is more than 11 years old
Influential MP George Eustice says compromise 'represents basis on which we can all move forward'

An attempt to break the political deadlock over Lord Justice Leveson's press reforms has been made as an influential Tory MP leading the support for Leveson's plans swings behind the government's proposals for a royal charter to oversee press regulation.

George Eustice, one of the leaders of the 75 Tory MPs determined to see far tighter media regulation, writes in the Guardian that the compromise proposal for a royal charter drawn up by the Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin "represents a basis on which we can all move forward".

He makes the caveat that the government needs to shift its positions to strengthen safeguards "to protect the charter from future political meddling" and "ensuring that a regulator will direct the size and prominence of apologies".

Tory MPs supportive of Leveson have until now been silent during the inter-party talks, but Eustice's intervention suggests supporters of a full-blown statutory underpinning of Leveson's proposals may struggle to command a Commons majority, and as a result a modified version of the royal charter becomes the most likely route to political consensus.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have said they are willing to study the idea of a royal charter, but expressed concerns that it could be undercut in the future by a decision of ministers in the privy council to abolish the charter and so the system of regulation.

But Eustice urges compromise, saying: "Time is an enemy in politics, so we must now make one final push for a settlement and swiftly convert what has been agreed into reality."

Letwin has proposed that a verification body set up by royal charter be empowered to recognise an independent press regulator so long as the regulator meets qualifying criteria.

Eustice claims the qualifying criteria set out in Letwin's proposals are "remarkably similar" to those proposed by Leveson.

Eustice points out that the Conservative ministers have already embraced the principle of statute to achieve one of Leveson's core aims. He writes that statute has been accepted "first to create incentives for publishers to sign up to a voluntary regulator by introducing protection against exemplary fines for subscribers, and legal cost of liabilities for non-subscribers".

Eustice writes: "The government now accepts the need for statute to achieve this and had published draft clauses which could be added to an existing government bill."

He insists agreement is in sight, adding that the press needs to be less defensive about relinquishing control to allow a genuine independent regulator to develop. But he adds: "It also requires the government to put their foot down and make clear to the press that it is not their place to draft the royal charter."

The Eustice initiative came as the House of Lords also moved to compromise on its plans to impose part of Leveson through the unexpected vehicle of the defamation bill. Peers on Monday staged a partial climbdown in their clash with the government over the introduction of Leveson-style controls on the press.

Ministers suffered a massive defeat in the Lords earlier this month when peers backed a low-cost arbitration service as recommended by Leveson.

Peers voted to drop part of the amendment requiring newspapers editors to seek independent regulatory approval before running certain contentious stories.

The Tory former cabinet minister Lord Fowler acknowledged this went beyond the Leveson report and that pre-publication checks were an "anathema" to most journalists.

The proposal was removed from the defamation bill without a vote on Monday. The bill now goes to the Commons, where ministers are likely to try to remove the remainder of the amendment altogether.

There had been suggestions that the defamation bill would be ditched by the government rather than risk seeing the amendments passed.

But the government is likely to have the support of Conservative MPs and possibly the Liberal Democrats who fear that the defamation bill, a self-standing reform, is being taken hostage by supporters of Leveson's report.

More on this story

More on this story

  • David Cameron making 'backdoor deals' on press regulation, claims NUJ

  • Hacked Off condemns Leveson 'stitch-up'

  • Peers compromise over press regulation

  • Media Standards Trust complains at secrecy of press regulation talks

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