Anti-press vote scrapped by Watson amid Labour opposition
MP Tom Watson has scrapped a vote on controversial anti-press legislation amid strong opposition from fellow Labour MPs.
The deputy Labour leader and shadow culture secretary had put forward an amendment to the Data Protection Bill which if enacted, could have endangered the free press.
The Section 40 legislation would have required publishers who are not signed up to State-backed press regulator Impress – which is funded by Max Mosley – to pay the costs of legal action brought against them, regardless of whether they won or lost.
But just minutes before the clause was due to go to the vote yesterday, West Bromwich East MP Mr Watson decided to drop it.
It was reported that a number of Labour MPs from the region were not convinced by the amendment, including Wolverhampton MPs Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden, Warley MP John Spellar and Dudley North MP Ian Austin. The SNP also refused to back Mr Watson’s amendment.
It came as MPs voted down Ed Miliband’s plans for part two of the Leveson inquiry into press misconduct by a majority of nine.
Martin Wright, editor of the Shropshire Star, said: “This is excellent news for the freedom of the press in this country. Had politicians supported the Section 40 amendment, the role of the newspaper industry in holding those in power to account would have been in serious jeopardy.
Sanctions
“As it is, the Shropshire Star, along with many other newspapers and magazines around the country, is a member of an independent press regulator, IPSO, which ensures we maintain the highest standards of journalism – and face robust sanctions should we fall short of those standards.”
Culture Secretary Matt Hancock had warned MPs that the Section 40 measures would have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on local papers.
He said: “These amendments would have made it near impossible to uncover some of the stories of abuse and including the abuse of all those children in Rotherham.”
Mr Hancock said he wanted a free press that can ‘hold the powerful to account’ but also one that is fair.
“While I want to see a press that is free to report without fear or favour, and to uncover wrongdoing and to hold the powerful to account, I also want to see a press that is fair and accurate too,” he said.
After the vote Mr Watson said: “The Tories’ shameless capitulation to press barons leaves the victims of phone hacking ever further from reaching the truth.
“Today was a chance for MPs to finally deliver on promises made to victims of hacking and press intrusion.
“That chance has been squandered and victims have been betrayed once again.”
