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Press Freedom Tories ‘scared’ of what a media probe might reveal

THE TORIES are trying to overturn peers’ votes for tighter media regulation because they are “scared what might be uncovered,” press freedom campaigner Josef Davies-Coates said today.

The Data Protection Bill took a battering in the Lords yesterday, with two amendments to tackle alleged media abuses and another backing a second phase of the Leveson inquiry into press standards.

Peers also voted for newspapers not signed up to a state-supported regulator to pay their own and their opponent’s legal costs over alleged data protection breaches, even if they win in court.

Culture Secretary Matt Hancock said the proposed changes would be a “hammer blow” to the local press.

PM Theresa May said the government is seeking to overturn the amendments because it wants “a free press that is able to hold politicians and others to account.”

But Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom national organiser Mr Davies-Coates said their comments were “flabbergasting.”

He said: “There is literally no evidence to support the claims that Leveson 2 or Section 40 would do anything whatsoever to undermine high-quality journalism or press freedom. 

“Anyone simply aware of the basic facts of the matter would be able to tell you the exact opposite is the case.

“As for holding politicians to account, the terms of reference for Part 2 of the Leveson inquiry, which had full cross-party support, include an investigation into ‘the role, if any, of politicians, public servants and others in relation to any failure to investigate wrongdoing at News International.’

“They are afraid of what might be uncovered.”

Shadow culture secretary Tom Watson said Labour will fight to keep the amendments in the Bill.

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