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English PEN warns Leveson against state regulation

Giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, English PEN Director Jonathan Heawood this week argued strongly against moves towards statutory press regulation, describing proposed co-regulation as a veiled form of statutory regulation, that is subject to political influence.

He said: "We would rather live in a noisy, open society than a quiet and over-regulated one."

Urging immediate reform of libel law and a review of privacy law, he said: "It is essential that the underlying law is right, and that it is accessible to all, not just those with the largest chequebooks.'"

Heawood cautioned against focusing too much on regulation as the panacea to all problems. He noted that the media industry is changing rapidly and that some publishers may choose to stay outside the regulator.

"We shouldn't try to regulate the stable door after the horse has bolted," he warned.

Lord Justice Leveson chairs a two-part inquiry investigating the role of the press and police in a UK phone-hacking scandal.

The enquiry is tasked with making recommendations on the future of press regulation and governance consistent with maintaining freedom of the press and ensuring the highest ethical and professional standards.

Enquiry

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