Leveson Inquiry Starts

Inquiry into press ethics: opening submissions

Part 1 of Lord Justice Leveson’s judicial inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the press commenced on Monday 7 November with opening submissions expected to take up the first week of the hearing.

The judicial inquiry was set up by the Prime Minister David Cameron in July in the wake of public outrage over the reporting of the fact that the mobile telephone of Milly Dowler, the murdered Surrey schoolgirl, had been hacked by a private investigator working for the News of the World.

Following the seminars which took place looking at the competitive pressures on the press and their impact on journalists; the rights and responsibilities of the press and supporting a free press and high standards – approaches to regulation, the evidential part of the Inquiry will begin with opening submissions by the Inquiry’s Counsel and some core participants. The evidence is likely to begin on Monday 21 November 2011.

Part 1 of the Inquiry will focus on the culture, practices, and ethics of the press. It will look at contacts between newspapers, politicians and the press and the extent to which the current policy and regulatory framework has failed.

The Inquiry will make recommendations for “a new more effective policy and regulatory regime which supports the integrity and freedom of the press, the  plurality of the media, and its independence, including from Government, while encouraging the highest ethical and professional standards.”

5RB’s David Sherborne is acting for a number of core participant victims or alleged victims of phone-hacking; Christina Michalos is junior Counsel for the Metropolitan Police and Adam Speker is junior Counsel for the Telegraph Media Group.

Links

• The Leveson Inquiry Website