NEWS RELEASE: Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill debate – changes to Royal charters will allow political influence over press

16Apr13
Index on Censorship has warned of threats to the freedom of the press, in advance of today’s debate on the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. The Bill includes an amendment, which proposes that a two-thirds majority in both houses will be needed to change Royal Charters in the future, and follows cross party agreement for a Royal Charter to underpin press regulation in the UK.
Index CEO Kirsty Hughes said: ‘This statute will allow politicians to vote on  the specifics of press regulation, whether now or in the future. It will impact upon one of the most important roles of the media in a democracy – to hold politicians and governments to account – and is a threat to free speech in the UK.’
Index on Censorship has published a full response on Leveson, the Royal Charter and press reform and the potential impact upon free speech in the UK and beyond. Read it here.