Leveson report

I 'll take the risk and try to summarise the main points of the 2'000 page Leveson report on the British press, and yesterday's early reactions to it, in the 230 words available to me. As expected the report says the press has behaved recklessly, with disregard for privacy and accuracy and it makes proposals for a new editorial code. Almost everyone agrees that existing self-regulation of press practices has failed and needs to be replaced by a more effective independent system. Leveson wants an “independent self-regulatory body underpinned by law” but David Cameron questioned the role of the law, saying in the House of Commons, “We should think very, very carefully before crossing this line”. However, Labour's Ed Miliband said he accepted Leveson's recommendation in full. The prime minister wisely wants cross-party agreement on this issue but given Nick Clegg's insistence on making his own LibDem, not coalition, statement to the Commons this may not be easy.

Leveson himself has said that his proposal “cannot be characterised as statutory regulation of the press” and has even claimed it will “place an exceptional duty on the government to uphold and protect the freedom of the press”. But newspapers and the public have jointly managed to do this quite well themselves since 1695 and can probably be left to do so for a while longer without help from the government.