Front matter — Leveson Report

¶The Leveson Inquiry culture, practices and ethics of the press

¶AN INQUIRY INTO THE CULTURE, PRACTICES AND ETHICS OF THE PRESS

¶REPORT

¶The Right Honourable Lord Justice Leveson

November 2012 4 volumes not to be sold separately Volume I

¶AN INQUIRY INTO THE CULTURE, PRACTICES AND ETHICS OF THE PRESS The Right Honourable Lord Justice Leveson

¶November 2012 Volume I

¶Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 26 of the Inquiries Act 2005 Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 29 November 2012

¶HC 780-I London: The Stationery Office £250.00

¶4 volumes not to be sold separately

¶© Crown copyright 2012 You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at generalenquiries@levesoninquiry.org.uk This publication is available for download at www.official-documents.gov.uk ISBN: 9780102981063 Printed in the UK by The Stationery Office Limited on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office ID P002525215 11/12 22930 19585 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum.

¶The Leveson Inquiry culture, practices and ethics of the press

Volume I

¶Page

PARt A: the InquIRy — 1
Chapter 1: the Announcement — 3
1 Introduction — 3
2 Role of the Assessors — 6
3 Visits — 9
Chapter 2: the approach — 10
1 Setting up and preliminaries — 10
2 The gathering and presentation of evidence — 19
3 Challenging the evidence — 31
4 Other material — 35
5 Submissions — 36
6 Engagement with the public: the website — 37
Chapter 3: Further issues of law — 38
1 Rule 13 of the Inquiry Rules 2006: the approach — 38
2 Rule 13 of the Inquiry Rules 2006: the practice — 42
3 The nature and standard of proof — 43
Chapter 4: the Report — 49
1 Scope — 49
2 Purpose — 49
3 Timing and content — 50
Part B: the press and the public interest — 53
Chapter 1: Introduction — 55
Chapter 2: the freedom of the press and democracy — 56
1 Context — 56
2 A brief history of press freedom in the United Kingdom — 58
3 The importance of a free press: free communication — 61
4 The importance of a free press: public debate and holding power to account — 63
5 Press freedom within the rule of law and the role of statute — 65
6 The protection of sources and other legal privileges of the press — 68
Chapter 3: Competing public interests — 69
1 Context — 69
2 Freedom of expression — 71
3 Personal autonomy and civil liberties — 73
4 Other public goods — 75

¶i

Chapter 4: The responsibilities of the press — 76
1 Context — 76
2 Press power and the impact on society — 76
3 Communication: truth, comment and 'assessability' — 78
4 Press ethics and the role of a code of ethics — 81
PARt C: the PRess — 91
Chapter 1: Context — 93
1 Introduction — 93
2 Commercial pressure on the press — 93
Chapter 2: The press: history, governance structures and finances — 99
1 Introduction — 99
2 News Corporation — 99
3 Associated Newspapers Ltd — 114
4 Northern and Shell Media Group Ltd — 120
5 Trinity Mirror plc — 125
6 The Telegraph Media Group — 130
7 The Guardian Media Group — 134
8 The Independent Group — 139
9 The Financial Times — 145
10 The regional press — 148
11 Magazines and periodicals — 152
Chapter 3: Alternative news providers — 156
1 Introduction — 156
2 Broadcasters — 156
3 The World Wide Web — 164
4 Blogs and other web-based commentary — 168
5 Social networking sites — 173
6 Other providers — 176
7 Enforcement — 177
8 Press photographers — 179
Chapter 4: Plurality — 180
1 What is plurality and why does it matter? — 180
2 Approaches to securing plurality — 181
3 The history of media ownership rules in the UK from the 1990s — 183
4 History of the newspaper ownership regime — 190

¶ii

PARt d: stAndARds — 193
Chapter 1: The historical background — 195
1 Introduction — 195
2 The Royal Commission into the Press 1947 — 196
3 The Royal Commission of 1962 and the Younger Committee into privacy — 200
4 The Royal Commission of 1974 — 203
5 The first Report of Sir David Calcutt QC — 205
6 The second Report of Sir David Calcutt QC — 210
7 The death of Diana, Princess of Wales — 214
8 Conclusions — 216
Chapter 2: Self-regulation of the press — 219
1 Introduction — 219
2 The establishment of the PCC — 219
3 Current powers, operation and standards — 221
4 PressBoF — 228
5 Benefits of self-regulation — 235
6 Anti-harassment policy — 236
7 Complaints — 241

¶Part E: crossing legal boundaries:

The criminal and civil law — 247
Chapter 1: The legal framework — 249
Chapter 2: Police investigations start — 251
1 Operation Reproof — 251
2 Operation Glade — 251
Chapter 3: Operation motorman — 257
1 Introduction — 257
2 The genesis of Operation Motorman — 257
3 The search — 258
4 Prosecutions arising from Operation Motorman — 264
5 Publication of Parliamentary Reports in 2006 — 265
6 Conclusions — 268
Chapter 4: Phone hacking: the expanding impact of Operation Caryatid — 270
1 Introduction — 270
2 The collection of evidence — 273
3 The prosecution strategy — 294
4 The outcome to the prosecution — 307
5 Subsequent operational decisions — 308
6 Police strategy for the aftermath — 325

¶iii

7 The reaction of the News of the World — 337
8 July 2009: The Guardian — 350
9 September 2010: The New York Times — 401
10 December 2010: The Guardian article and the aftermath — 408
11 The past unravels — 412
12 Conclusions: the police and the CPS — 425
Chapter 5: A new approach to the allegations — 421
1 Police Inquiries: Operations Weeting, Elveden and Tuleta — 421
2 The Management and Standards Committee — 424

Volume II

¶Part F: the culture, practices and ethics of the press:

the PRess And the PuBlIC — 437
Chapter 1: Introduction — 439
1 Overview — 439
2 Module One and the Terms of Reference — 440
3 Evidence in Module One of the Inquiry — 442
4 The structure of Part F of the Report — 449
Chapter 2: Good practice — 451
1 The value and virtues of the UK press — 451
2 Some case studies — 454
Chapter 3: Complaints of an unethical press — 471
1 Overview — 471
2 The complaints — 473
3 The harm — 483
Chapter 4: Some practices at the news of the world — 493
1 Introduction — 493
2 Influence on culture at the News of the World — 494
3 Attitude towards individuals — 504
4 Intrusion — 509
5 Investigative journalism — 526
6 Approach to compliance — 528
7 Credibility of witnesses — 537
Chapter 5: some case studies — 539
1 Introduction — 539
2 The Dowlers — 542
3 Kate and Gerry McCann — 547
4 Christopher Jefferies — 558

¶iv

5 The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP and his son's illness — 564
6 Hugh Grant and 'the mendacious smear' — 572
7 Sebastian Bowles — 576
8 Recent events: Royal photographs — 579
Chapter 6: Criticisms of the culture, practices and ethics of the press — 592
1 Introduction — 592
2 Lack of respect for privacy and dignity — 593
3 Unlawful or unethical acquisition of private information — 610
4 Breach of confidence and misuse of confidential and/or sensitive information — 640
5 Harassment — 645
6 Intrusion into grief and shock — 655
7 Treatment of children — 658
8 Representation of women and minorities — 660
9 Inaccuracy — 673
10 Financial controls and payments for stories — 694
11 Treatment of critics — 704
12 Complaints handling — 709
Chapter 7: Conclusion — 717
1 Introduction — 717
2 Possible causes — 719
3 The relevance of the internet — 736
4 The press response to this Inquiry — 737
PArT G: The PreSS And The POlICe: The relATIOnShIP — 741
Chapter 1: Policing with Consent: the role of the press — 743
1 Introduction — 743
2 The purpose of the relationship and public confidence — 745
3 Tensions in the relationship between the media and the police — 748
Chapter 2: The history of the relationship: different Approaches — 751
1 Metropolitan Police Service: the Commissioners — 751
2 Other police forces — 756
3 Press departments — 763
Chapter 3: Press and the Police: the harm and the response — 780
1 Introduction — 780
2 The use and abuse of information — 780
3 Entertainment: an overview — 830
4 The perception of influence — 851
5 The problems of friendship — 898
6 Calibrating the harm: the views of Commissioners — 928

¶v

7 The question of corruption — 933
8 Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) — 943
9 HMIC report: 'Without Fear or Favour' — 948
10 Elizabeth Filkin's review of the relationship between the MPs and the media — 960
11 Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) — 966
Chapter 4: The press and the police: conclusions and recommendations — 980
1 Introduction — 980
2 Tip offs — 983
3 Involvement of the press on operations — 984
4 Off-the-record briefings — 985
5 Leaks of information — 987
6 Gifts, hospitability and entertainment — 988
7 Media employment — 990
8 Corruption, whistleblowing and related matters — 991
9 Conclusion — 994

Volume III

PArT h: The PreSS And dATA PrOTeCTIOn — 997
Chapter 1: Introduction — 999
1 Background — 999
2 The ICO: structure, governance and approach — 1000
Chapter 2: Operation motorman — 1003
1 The investigation — 1003
2 The ICO response: leadership — 1008
3 The approach to the PCC — 1011
4 What Price Privacy? The political campaign — 1020
5 What Price Privacy? The reaction of the PCC and the editors — 1025
Chapter 3: Other possible regulatory options — 1031
1 Criminal proceedings in respect of journalists — 1033
2 The use of regulatory powers — 1040
3 Engagement with the industry: guidance and promoting good practice — 1042
4 Engagement with victims — 1045
5 Conclusions and the questions raised by Operation Motorman — 1050
Chapter 4: the ICo and the press today — 1054
1 Introduction — 1054
2 Personal information privacy and press practices — 1056
3 Following up Operation Motorman — 1058

¶vi

4 Following up the political campaign — 1058
5 Phone hacking and the ICO — 1059
Chapter 5: Issues about the legal framework — 1062
1 The current views of the ICO — 1062
2 A different perspective on the legal framework — 1065
Chapter 6: The relationship: the ICO and the press — 1097
1 "Too big for us?" — 1097
2 The struggle for a profile: political campaigning and the power of the press — 1104
3 Independent regulation of the press: lessons learned — 1106
4 Powers, governance and capability of the ICO: reflections of the future — 1108
Chapter 7: Summary of recommendations — 1111
PARt I: the PRess And PolItICIAns — 1115
Chapter 1: Introduction — 1117
Chapter 2: The Conservative years — 1121
1 Prime Minister Thatcher: 1979-1990 — 1121
2 Prime Minister Major: 1990-1997 — 1126
Chapter 3: new labour — 1134
1 The 1992 general election — 1134
2 The 1997 general election — 1139
3 Prime Minister Blair: 1997-2007 — 1143
4 Prime Minister Brown: 2007-2010 — 1150
5 Political news management — 1155
Chapter 4: The Conservative revival and the coalition — 1164
1 Introduction and background — 1164
2 Mr Cameron's relations with the press whilst Leader of the Opposition — 1165
3 Prime Minister Cameron: 2010-present — 1209
4 Reflections — 1231
Chapter 5: Media policy: examples from recent history — 1233
1 Purchase of The Times and The Sunday Times — 1233
2 Response to the reports of Sir David Calcutt QC — 1246
3 Human Rights Act 1998 — 1262
4 Data Protection Act 1998 — 1270
5 Communications Act 2003 — 1278
Chapter 6: media policy: The BSkyB bid — 1299
1 Introduction — 1299
2 The plurality test and quasi-judicial procedure — 1303

¶vii

3 June 2010 – December 2010: The Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills — 1309
4 21 December 2010: Dr Cable's comments and the transfer of function — 1335
5 December 2010 – July 2011: The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport — 1351
6 News Corp and the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP — 1407
Chapter 7: Further political perspectives on relationships with the press — 1414
1 Introduction — 1414
2 The Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP — 1414
3 The Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP — 1416
4 The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP — 1418
5 The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP — 1423
6 The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP — 1425
7 The Rt Hon George Osborne MP — 1427
Chapter 8: Conclusions and recommendations — 1428
1 Introduction — 1428
2 The proprietors — 1430
3 'Too close' a relationship — 1438
4 Existing regulatory framework — 1446
5 Recommendations for future relations between politicians and the press — 1451
Chapter 9: Plurality and media ownership: conclusions and recommendations — 1461
1 Introduction — 1461
2 Scope — 1462
3 Measuring plurality — 1465
4 Limits and remedies — 1466
5 What should trigger a review? — 1471
6 Who should be responsible for the decisions? — 1473

Volume IV

¶Part J : aspects of regulation: the law and the

Press Complaints Commission — 1477
Chapter 1: Introduction — 1479
Chapter 2: the criminal law — 1480
1 Introduction — 1480
2 The investigation of crime: complaints to the police — 1482
3 The Investigation of crime: gathering evidence — 1485
4 A failure of policing — 1486
5 Police resources — 1488

¶viii

6 Public interest: a defence to crime — 1489
7 Public interest: the decision to prosecute — 1491
8 Public interest: other safeguards in the criminal process — 1494
9 The future — 1496
Chapter 3: The civil law — 1499
1 Introduction — 1499
2 Civil proceedings: the present risk of litigation — 1499
3 Litigation against the press — 1504
4 The substantive civil law — 1508
5 Damages — 1508
6 Costs — 1512
Chapter 4: The Press Complaints Commission and its effectiveness — 1515
1 Introduction — 1515
2 What the PCC did well — 1518
3 Independence from the industry — 1520
4 The alignment with industry — 1530
5 The PCC as regulator — 1541
6 Structural problems with the PCC — 1544
7 Investigatory failures — 1561
8 Conclusions — 1576
Part K: regulatory models for the future — 1581
Chapter 1: Criteria for a regulatory solution — 1583
1 Introduction — 1583
2 Effectiveness — 1584
3 Fairness and objectivity of standards — 1588
4 Independence and transparency of enforcement and compliance — 1590
5 Powers and remedies — 1591
6 Cost — 1593
7 Accountability — 1594
Chapter 2: The self-regulatory model proposed by the PCC and PressBoF — 1595
1 Industry acceptance of the need for reform — 1595
2 The proposal: overview — 1596
3 Governance and structures — 1597
4 Complaints — 1601
5 Standards and compliance — 1603
6 Potential for growth — 1608
7 Funding — 1609
8 The Code and the Code Committee — 1610

¶ix

9 The Industry Funding Body — 1610
10 Incentives to membership — 1611
Chapter 3: Analysis of the model proposed by the PCC and PressBoF — 1614
1 Introduction — 1614
2 Effectiveness — 1614
3 Fairness and objectivity of standards — 1623
4 Independence and transparency of enforcement and compliance — 1625
5 Powers and remedies — 1632
6 Cost — 1638
7 Response of editors and proprietors to the PCC and PressBoF proposals — 1641
8 Summary and conclusions — 1648
Chapter 4: Other proposals submitted to the Inquiry — 1651
1 Introduction — 1651
2 A new regulatory body — 1651
3 Functions and structures — 1651
4 Should coverage be voluntary or mandatory? — 1655
5 Incentives for membership — 1659
6 Statutory recognition — 1671
7 Statutory provision — 1673
8 The Code — 1680
9 Complaint handling — 1686
10 Remedies and redress — 1692
11 Sanctions — 1694
12 Dispute resolution — 1696
13 The role of the courts — 1698
14 Costs and funding — 1699
15 Protection and promotion of freedom of expression — 1703
16 Protection of journalists — 1705
Chapter 5: International comparators — 1708
1 The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman — 1708
2 Other models of press regulation: Europe and beyond — 1717
3 Review of press regulation: Australia and New Zealand — 1727
Chapter 6: Techniques of regulation — 1734
1 Introduction — 1734
2 Regulatory options — 1734
3 Regulatory tools — 1742

¶x

Chapter 7: Conclusions and recommendations for future regulation of the press — 1748
1 Introduction — 1748
2 Options put forward — 1750
3 A new system must include everyone — 1751
4 Voluntary independent self-regulation — 1758
5 Encouraging membership — 1769
6 Giving effect to the incentives — 1771
7 Summary of recommendations — 1781
Chapter 8: The alternatives — 1783
1 The issue — 1783
2 The questions — 1783
3 What standards should be complied with? — 1784
4 What consequences should apply for breach? — 1786
5 How should any consequences be applied? — 1788
6 To whom should any provision apply? — 1790
7 My views — 1793
Chapter 9: recommendations for a self-regulatory body — 1795
1 Introduction — 1795
2 Recommendations to a new regulatory body — 1795
Part L: summary of recommendations — 1801
APPendICes — 1819
Appendix 1: Counsel to the Inquiry and the Inquiry Team — 1821
Appendix 2: Submissions and correspondence statistics — 1823
Appendix 3: Witnesses to the Inquiry — 1827
Appendix 4: Legal materials — 1843
Appendix 5: Evidence relevant to the generic conclusions on the relationship between politicians and the press: Part I, Chapter 8 — 1955
Appendix 6: Bibliography — 1985

¶xi a