LEVESON INQUIRY:CULTURE, PRACTICE AND ETHICS OF THE PRESS
"I want this inquiry to mean something", not end up as "footnote in some professor of journalism's analysis of 21 century history." LJ Leveson in reply to A Rusbridger's submission to Inquiry. |
| Lord Justice Leveson |
Here's a quick reminder of the four modules within this first year of the inquiry.
Module 1: The relationship between the press and the public and looks at phone-hacking and other potentially illegal behaviourModule 2: The relationships between the press and police and the extent to which that has operated in the public interest
Module 3: The relationship between press and politiciansModule 4: Recommendations for a more effective policy and regulation that supports the integrity and freedom of the press while encouraging the highest ethical standards.
Leveson Inquiry Witness Statements HERE
Witness list for this week (6th - 9th February) to be found HERE
Video Recordings of each day's proceedings HERE
Live Feed From Leveson Inquiry Site HERE
BBC Democracy Live Feed HERE
Guardian Live Blog (with Live Feed from Inquiry)
Telegraph Live Blog
BBC News Leveson Inquiry Page
#Leveson Twitter Feed
Dan Sabbagh (Guardian Journalist) Twitter timeline
Ben Fenton (Journalist FT) live Leveson tweets and comments
Live Blog - Hacking Inquiry - Hacked Off
Telegraph Live Blog
BBC News Leveson Inquiry Page
#Leveson Twitter Feed
Dan Sabbagh (Guardian Journalist) Twitter timeline
Ben Fenton (Journalist FT) live Leveson tweets and comments
Live Blog - Hacking Inquiry - Hacked Off
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's links to articles, info and comments relevant to the Leveson Inquiry (frequently updated) :
- Met Police Investigators at News Corp Jeopardise Press Freedom, Say Lawyers - Guardian Media
- While Britain Picks Over the Leveson Inquiry, the US Produces Facebook - Dan Sabbagh - Guardian Media
- Did the PCC Turn a Blind Eye to Evidence That Phone-hacking Went Beyond One Rogue reporter? - Michael Moore - Inforrm's Blog
- New Statesman - 10 Questions For Daily Mail Boss Paul Dacre
- IPCC Report Into Allegations Surrey Police Officer Disclosed Unauthorisation Information to Journalists Published
- Article by David Leigh on the Above Case HERE
- BBC News - Leveson Inquiry: Police Reveal 'Likely' Victim Numbers
Investigative journalist Tom Bower just on Sky News claiming #Leveson "has failed" and LJL "doesn't understand the press"
Breaking: Paul Dacre proposes a licensing system for journalists in effect - blows the debate wide open.
- Jemima Khan Denies being Source of Hugh Grant's 'Plummy-Voiced' Woman Mail on Sunday Story - Hacking Inquiry - Hacked Off
- Paul Dacre Appears at Leveson - Politics.co.uk
- Dacre Stands By Hugh Grant 'Mendacious Smears' Jibe - Press Gazette
- MST/Hacked Off Statement on Paul Dacre's Leveson Inquiry Appearance - Media Standards Trust
- Daily Mail Editor Lashes Out At Hugh Grant and Hacking Campaigners - Free Speech Blog
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday 6th February 2012
( link to Hearing 36 HERE )
Today's Witnesses:
DAC Sue Akers ( MPS ) Paul Dacre ( Associated Newspapers )
Nick Owens ( Sunday Mirror ) Recalled by LJ Leveson
Dan Wootton ( Daily Mail )
Witness Statement to be read:
Jemima Khan
DAC Sue Akers
 |
| Sue Akers |
Full Witness Statement
Akers will become the first serving police officer to be quizzed by the Leveson inquiry.
Jay says the inquiry will look at 2006-2011 within module 2. Only a few questions for Akers at this stage.
DAC Sue Akers, QPM, is deputy assistant commissioner of the Met Police. She will discuss Operations Tuleta, Elveden and Weeting.
Akers says that Op Tuleta, inquiry into computer hacking, only began in earnest in the autumn.
Akers says she is now reporting to an assistant commissioner. Was previously reporting to acting deputy commissioner Cressida Dick.
Potential victims up to 6,349 from 5,800. Names of people we can identify in material we hold, mostly Mulcaire.
Total of people contacted by Weeting is now 2,900, including people who thought they were Mulcaire targets but were not.
1,578 people have been contacted who do actually appear in Mulcaire."likely victims" are 829 - they have detail around their names.
581 likely victims contacted, 231 uncontactable and 17 not told for operational reasons.
Akers says there are 829 "likely victims" of phone hacking. 581 of them have been contacted (231 not contactable).
Akers: Of 17 arrested in relation to Weeting, 2 no further action and 15 are on bail, which they will answer in March.
We have a number of key witnesses we want to see it will take a few more months,
We have rebuilt material we thought had been lost. Completed by end of November. Now going through that material. 300m emails
Jay turns to staff. Weeting now has 90 staff including 35 dedicated to victims. Includes support staff.
Now on to Operation Elveden, which looks into cash payments to police officers
Elveden is going to expand because we are moving to investigate the Sun. from 40 to 60. A real public interest in doing this.
Akers: 14 arrests so far, including 1 by IPCC
Guardian Live Blog:
Akers is asked about Operation Elveden, the investigation into payments to police officers by journalists.Akers says there is a "very legitimate public interest" in investigating this.
She adds that 40 police officers and staff are currently working on Elveden, but that team will be expanded to 61 officers.
Fourteen people have been arrested so far under Elveden.
NotW journalists from "reasonably senior" positions were arrested June to December.
No police officers have been id'd as suspects in relation to the News of the World, #Akers tells #leveson
Akers: The investigatory material has come from the newspapers so journalists are identified. They seek to protect sources.
Akers at #leveson : info that allowed arrest of Sun journo came from NI's management & standards cttee
Akers: Sun journalist arrested Nov 2011, information came from NI standards committee. Recent arrests on info from same place.
Akers: Working under voluntary disclosure rather than obtaining information under PACE.
Akers at #leveson : less confident nearer end than beginning in Elveden
Now on Operation Tuleta (email hacking). Much smaller resources, around 20 officers. Scoping before launching full investigation.
Akers at #leveson : Tuleta (computer hacking investigation) will have in region of 20 officers
57 accusations of data intrusion being investigated.
Tuleta examining 57 allegations, some overlap with Weeting. Some go back to late 1980s and connected with historic Met invests.
Akers: There are 4TB of electronic data. Jay says he understands this to be a vast amount.
From Guardian Live Blog:
Akers is asked about Operation Culmic, which is illegal accessing of computers belonging to others for financial gain.This is a full investigation undertaken as part of a scoping exercise by Operation Tuleta. Operation Culmic was the subject of a recent BBC Panorama programme, Akers confirms.
One person has been arrested under Operation Culmic and are on bail until March.
Paul Dacre
 |
| Paul Dacre |
Full Witness Statement
From Guardian Live Blog (9:40 a.m.)
Paul Dacre, editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, and Sue Akers, the Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner in charge of three major investigations into alleged press illegality, will give evidence to the inquiry today.
Fleet Street's longest-serving newspaper editor is likely to be asked about the Daily Mail's use of the private investigator Steve Whittamore, as uncovered in the information commissioner's report What Price Privacy Now? in 2006. Dacre is also expected to be asked about Associated Newspapers' accusation of "mendacious smears" against Hugh Grant after the actor gave evidence to the inquiry last year.
Dacre is ed-in-chief of Mail Group titles and chairman of PCC Editors' Code of Practice Committee.
Daily Mail Editor Paul Dacre seems a little nervous as he begins his evidence at #Leveson.
[Dacre looks very uncomfortable. At September seminars was calm and self-assured.]
Dacre on being editor-in-chief but not interfering with individual titles: "You can't edit by remote control."
Jay starts by recalling Dacre said #leveson's panel of experts didn't know about mass selling papers - D thinks they don't read pop. press
Dacre at
Dacre at #leveson : misunderstanding to say he single handedly imposes his world view on papers
A bit of a canard that I impose my will on the paper with great willpower. Misunderstanding of how papers work, Dacre says.
Dacre: Any editor's values and world view will be relevant to his paper. Misunderstanding to think I impose my views.
Paul Dacre saying he invests in quality journalists and produces a quality newspaper... isn't he under oath? #Leveson http://ow.ly/8THdy
Dacre at #leveson : Do you think I tell Sir Max Hastings, Janet Street Porter what to write?
Daily Mail is "politically neutral" says Dacre. Colour me unconvinced
We invest in quality journalism, we let our editors edit and we believe sales follow from that.
Paul Dacre says the Daily Mail has a wide-range of rightwing and reactionary socially conservative writers working for it.
Dacre says no link between privacy law and decline in sales.
Dacre turns to his files to give his position on privacy when Jay asks if public has right to be informed about immoral behaviour.
Jay: is it right that public shd be told about people's private lives? Dacre: papers shd have latitude to delve into their lives
Dacre at #leveson : chefs/sports ppl make money revealing lives to public, papers shd have latitude to look into their lives when they err
Dacre to Jay: Your questions are so broad, with respect.
Dacre quoting Mr Justice Tugendhat, emphasises "freedom to criticise"
Guardian Live Blog:
Asked about privacy, Dacre says that some celebrities "intrude into their own lives" by selling details about their private life.He complains that Jay's questions are too broad and asks him to focus on specifics.
Dacre is asked about his recent Society of Editors speech. "I was clearly trying to express a growing concern … that certain areas of jurisprudence were going in an anti-newspaper, anti-democratic direction," he says.
In the speech, Dacre attacked Mr Justice Eady's judgments in several cases as "amoral and arrogant". He clarifies that he was attacking the judgments, "not the man".
Dacre says he still feels the PCC has changed the culture of Fleet Street. "There's always room for improvements," he adds.
Dacre repeats that the PCC has changed the culture of Fleet Street.Press v different from 1970s and better behaved.
RT
Dacre: The problem of paparazzi worries me, one of the broader issues that the industry needs to look at.
Sanctions of PCC are sufficient in dealing with complaints, but on standards, we have moved into area where more is needed.
Dacre: Because of "revlataions about the phone hacking and all those things" Jay says what other things. D: "Payments to police"
Dacre was arguing privacy laws & other changes have tramelled traditional Sunday red-top reporting.
'I wouldn't have the NotW in the house' - Dacre
Dacre: I wouldn't have had the News of the World in the house but they broke great stories and it's a pity it's gone
Scandals eg hacking bribing perception can't be dealt with by self-regulation. Perception by PM down is that PCC has broken.
In light of what we have learned, I now think we shd have a body to sit next to the PCC and impose sanctions for malfeasance.
Are you fully signed up to Lord Hunt contractual proposal? D: "Of course".
Dacre says he initially made suggestion for new standards arm in his presentation to #Leveson seminar, and of course would sign up to it.
Dacre says Hunt's solution not the only one, but is v. attractive, excellent idea
Contractual idea is an excellent one. Not the only one. I didn't suggest the contractual part of it.Sounds v interesting.
Jay: how wd you bring Richard Desmond into new system?
Dacre refers the "Desmond factor" and says he has ideas for locking key players into self-regulation.
Dacre: we're reeling from extraordinary costs of no win, no fee cases
Dacre says he welcomes arbitration arm in new system but wonders if it will be as cheap as everyone thinks.
Dacre: 'Can I find my paperwork, I have been deluged with paperwork' #Leveson: 'You should have been here for the last few months' Laughter
Dacre: "Desmond produces the kind of content that would land in the court of arbitration."
Mail Editor Dacre launches broadside against Richard Desmond calls OK magazine 'bland slight sycophantic journalism'
He's reading an idea out: Kitemark journalism. Committed to standards. Only for those signed up to new self-regulatory body.
Dacre at #leveson : suggests new press card system, making cards available only to orgs that sign up to new PCC
Dacre welcomes arbitration system for libel & privacy as part of new regulation - though worried about expense
Dacre at #leveson : says this differs from licensing because industry wd do it
Guardian Live Blog:
Dacre says that Lord Hunt's idea for contracts to lock newspapers into the new regulatory body is "attractive".He welcomes the arbitration arm but has concerns about its financial cost.
He adds that he is worried about how the new body could "lock in the Desmonds".
"By and large Mr Desmond does not produce the kind of journalism – mostly celebrity bland journalism – that would end up in this court or arbitration model," he says.
He describes Richard Desmond's titles, naming OK! magazine, as producing "very bland, slightly sycophantic" journalism.
Dacre suggests a new press card system for signed-up members of the new regulator.
He recommends that press events only be open to those with this new card.
"It is my considered view that no publication could survive if its reporters were banned" from such events. The "beauty" of this system is that it would be the newspaper industry policing journalists, not the state.
"I'm suggesting it should come under one umbrella, whether it's the standards arm of the new regulator, whether it's the Newspaper Society."
He adds: "I'm being very honest – the existing press cards don't mean much".
Dacre now turns to paparazzi. [Will he mention his pledge not to use long-lens pix after death of Di?]
Dacre at #leveson : we've been distressed about some of the evidence we've heard about papparazzi
Streets are free, in theory, & it is compounded that anyone with a Blackberry or a mobile phone can take high-quality pix.
Dacre: Picture agencies should join up to new system and not be used by papers if they don't.
Paps shd have to sign up to the code and get the card.[Also, I suppose newspapers & websites in this country cd starve the market]
Dacre: I think privacy is impossible to define but the public interest is a different area. Too loose in the code at the moment.
Dacre says #leveson shd take opinion polls. Produce a definition of the public interest.
Dacre seems to think accreditation solves everything. Wonder how many Mail Online reporters have press cards.
Dacre: All senior appointments in regulating body should be made by an independent panel.
Dacre: These are my ideas, not discussed with PressBof [body that funds the PCC] or the editors code of conduct]
Dacre: It was an idea whose time had come. We had always put correction on page where the article appeared.
Dacre being asked about corrections. p2 column began two days before two PCC adjudications on Mail front pages http://bit.ly/vD5POX
Dacre at #leveson : easier for broadsheets with more stories on front to do front page apols than tab format papers
Amazing. Mail Online doesn't need to bury corrections as they are amended instantly.
Jay asks Dacre about Nick Davies' claim about clarifications not having due prominence.
Dacre: Complainants are liasing with the PCC. We strongly repudiate that suggestion.
Daily Mail Editor tells #Leveson he was aware paper was using Steve Whittamore private detective investigated for questionable practices.
Dacre at #leveson : in 05 sent series of emails and letters advising staff on data protection
Dacre doesn't know when we stopped using Whittamore.2007 we "banned, banned absolutely, the use of all Whittamore agencies"
Dacre: Every newspaper was using them, we didn't realise they were illegal and hazy understanding of the DPA.
Dacre: Operation Motorman barely registered on [my] consciousness, didn't make the papers...
From Guardian Live Blog:
Operation Motorman "barely registered on the consciousness," Dacre says."All newspapers were still using this agency … I'm not sure an investigation at that stage was warranted," he adds, when asked by Jay why Associated Newspapers did not conduct an internal investigation into whether its use of inquiry agents was legal.
Dacre says the Mail wrote to Whittamore's inquiry agency, which gave the paper assurances about his methods.
Dacre says that his journalists believed they were acting within the law, using Whittamore to obtain telephone numbers and addresses to check news stories.
Jay asks how Dacre knows this. "From my managing editors," says the editor replies.
Dacre says that private investigators were used because it was quicker than journalists conducting the checks themselves.
"Time is everything in journalism," says Dacre.
Jay suggests that suspicions should have been aroused by the expense of Whittamore's undertakings and how quickly they were completed.
Dacre: we didn't understand what he did was illegal, there was hazy understanding of data protection act.
Dacre:Whittamore assured us that he wasn't breaking the law.
Dacre: We believed and journalists believed it was a way to get phone numbers quickly. We didn't believe it was illegal.
For years newspapers had vast shelves full of directories/phonebooks,births deaths etc, suddenly tech provided CD-Roms.
Dacre at #leveson : BBC spent nearly as much on inquiry agents as we did; virtually all papers used Whittamore
Journalists were getting same info much quicker. [This is Mail position:Most of use of Whitt was innocuous]
It is not true that ICO said journalists were not breaking the law. He - Richard Thomas - said the opposite many times.
Jay asking what D reaction was to fact that Mail was top of Whittamore league, 958 from 58 journos. D: Brought out reality.
Dacre said private investigators were used because it was quicker than journalists conducting the checks http://bit.ly/wE56XB
Guardian Live Blog:
Caplan told the inquiry in November that private investigator Steve Whittamore was used to help speed up journalistic investigations and to help verify the accuracy of stories pre-publication, not to break the law.
"[There is] no evidence that they ever asked Mr Whittamore to do anything illegal," he added.
Dacre says Whittamore may have acted illegally, but no evidence journalists did. Also public interest defence
Guardian Live Blog:
Dacre resumes his evidence and reasserts that the What Price Privacy Now? report examined detailed events that happened 10 years ago.
"I would accept there is a prima facie case that Whittamore could have been acting illegally," he says, adding that he does not believe Daily Mail journalists acted illegally.
Dacre: "...But the BBC paid nearly as much as we did for Whittamore". Classic #DailyMail defence
BBC did not use Whittamore at any point. So Dacre is wrong again! #Leveson
Dacre: I don't think data obtained by Whittamore is still on our system. It would have been given to individual journalists.
D:Most involved have left paper,working elsewhere,or emigrated.
Have you asked if the data still on system? D I don't think it is? Journos wd have written on notebooks,wdn't have gone in systems.
Many of the journalists who used Whittamore are still at the Mail, according to Hartley's statement
Dacre: One of my managing eds actually asked for access to Whittamore notes but IC Thomas said it would further breach DPA.
Now discussing D Mail coverage of Abigail Witchalls
Dacre has brought with him Hollins' exclusive interview with health pages of Mail. To show she can't have been that upset.
Dacre: I don't think it intrudes into their grief, Hollins wrote about it and it is in public interest.
Dacre:If it distressed her,I hear it.It was done sensitively.We need to write about crime. #leveson: I am pointing to the difference of view
"As
Dacre: I can't explain that inconsitency. #leveson On to Jan Moir and Stephen Gaitley.
Jay is questioning Dacre over Jan Moir's article on the death of Stephen Gately.
"a little insensitive" - Dacre on the Jan Moir fiasco.
"There isn't a homophobic bone in Jan Moir's body."
Dacre blames the 25,000 complaints made to the PCC over Jan Moir's Gately article on a "twitter storm".
At last some decent cross examination from #Leveson Jay, but Paul Dacre still well ahead on points.
Moir "a prime example of how tweetering can create a firestorm" says
The night that Moir piece went to press Dacre was a belated birthday for his wife at the opera he tells
I wd die in a ditch for the rights of my columnists to say whatever they wish. [homophobic writings can, of course, be illegal]
No broadsheet paid out libel costs to Christopher Jefferies - Dacre defence doesn't work
Mail front page: "Does this man hold the key to Joanna's murder?" About landlord Chris Jefferies.
On to the McCanns, who brought libel complaints against the Evening Standard and the Mail.
Didn't know the details of the McCann case. I am the editor-in-chief of a huge newspaper company.
Dacre: Mail's reporting of McCann story was 'much more responsible' than most papers
Dacre: It would have nipped things in the bud much earlier if the McCanns had lodged a complaint with the PCC.
Jay asks about the Mail's Stephen Lawrence coverage, including the famous 1997 front-page "Murders".
Jay asks about the Mail's Stephen Lawrence coverage, including the famous 1997 front-page "Murders".
Jay asking Paul Dacre about Hugh Grant now. "I'll get out my Grant file," says PD.
Guardian Live Blog:
Jay asks Dacre about the Daily Mail's coverage of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.Dacre is asked if the Daily Mail refused to publish an apology because supportive articles outnumbered the harmful ones. Dacre says he does not know.
Jonathan Caplan QC, counsel for Associated Newspapers, intervenes to say that the legal settlement was agreed between the McCanns and the publisher.
Dacre says that the McCanns complaining to the PCC would have "nipped things in the bud" earlier."The Mail's reporting of the McCan story was much more responsible that most papers. I can't say any more than that," he adds.
Newspapers felt they had the "green light" to write what they liked about the McCanns after the couple employed a public relations adviser, Dacre says.
Jay says it has been suggested that the reason for the Mail's siding with the Lawrence family was because Lawrence's father had done some plastering work for him previously."It is an unfair suggestion," Dacre says, before listing a series of campaigns that the Mail has mounted on the Omagh families, plastic bags and Gary McKinnon. "I really do find that insulting," he adds.
Now discussing Hugh Grant
Jay asks about the "mendacious smears" statement issued against Hugh Grant. "It was a terrible smear on a company I love".
Dacre says he had to instantly rebut Grant. I asked what he said. #leveson did you know what he actually said? Yes, of course.
Guardian Live Blog:
Jay asks Dacre about evidence given by Hugh Grant and Associated Newspapers' statement that the star had made "mendacious smears driven by his hatred of the media".Dacre says he was off work that day and heard a BBC headline that implied Associated Newspapers had been "dragged into the phone-hacking scandal" by Grant's evidence.
Dacre agreed with the Mail on Sunday editor to describe it as a "mendacious smear".
"I had to instantly rebut the fact that your inquiry was being told that we … were hacking into phones," he says. "The damage was being done. I'm glad to say once we got that out we had much more balanced reporting from the BBC and other media."
Dacre denies he shot from the hip too swiftly with the statement. He accuses Grant and the Hacked Off campaign of "hijacking this inquiry in a highly calculated attempt to wound my company".
D: My view Grant accused us to hijack your inquiry in calculated attempt to wound my company.
Dacre says that
Did Dacre just accuse Hacked Off of trying to hijack the inquiry? Hold on to your butts.
Dacre: "I know of no cases of phone hacking [at the Daily Mail], having conducted a major internal inquiry"
Dacre says his statement was a perfectly sensible way to defend the reputation of his company and newspapers.
D: Grant has spent his life invading his privacy - spoken frequently about wanting a child, particularly when promoting a film.
From Guardian Live Blog:
Hugh Grant has "spent his life invading his own privacy", says Dacre.He denies it is intrusive to send photographers and journalists to Grant's home on the news of his child's birth.
Sending photographers to someone who has had a baby to ask for a photo is "as old as time itself", he adds. "It worries me that you can't understand this."
Dacre being asked about 'Cancer danger of that night-time trip to the toilet' http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com/2010/04/mail-cancer-scare-is-fabrication-shock.html
Have to admit this is an amusing read: The Daily Mail list of 'Things that give you cancer' http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=269512464297
Guardian Live Blog:
Dacre is asked about a Daily Mail article headed "Cancer danger of that night-time trip to the toilet". Its introduction began: Intro: "Simply turning on a light at night for a few seconds to go to the toilet can cause changes that might lead to cancer, scientists claim."
Roy Greenslade pointed out in his blog that:
It was, of course, bunkum. The Tabloid Watch blog links to straightforward and crushing denials by the said scientists, Professor Charalambos Kyriacou from Leicester University's department of genetics and Dr Rachel Ben-Shlomo from the University of Haifa.
Their research, on mice by the way, was all about the likely effects of the prolonged exposure of nightshift workers to artificial light. There is nothing in their study about trips to the toilet.
As Kyriacou told AOL Health: "The 'switching on of lights causes cancer when you go to the bathroom at night' is an eye-catching fabrication of the press."
For a run-down of other things that the Mail has alleged are causes of cancer see this Facebook list. It includes sausages, tea, potatoes, hugging (I kid you not) and there are 135 more examples too.
Dacre trying to explain why his journalists didn't check the original scientific paper in a medical story.
Dacre says Mail does not check accuracy of news wire copy. This is an area where we've asked for change: bit.ly/zPYfuo
This is a quite unprecedented public attack on the Daily Mail's journalism. At press industry events Paul Dacre is always revered
Dacre: the great challenge for a newspaper is to take complicated material and make it accessible to people
Dacre discussing a story alleging the actor Neil Morrissey had been banned from a bar. Damages were paid and two apologies printed.
From Guardian Live blog:
Jay asks about a submission from the Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey.
Morrissey complained about a Daily Mail article that falsely claimed he had been banned from a bar in France because of binge drinking.
Dacre says that his journalists spent several days checking the story and suggests that the thrust of the story – the binge drinking claim – was not disproved.
He says that the story was in the public interest because Morrissey is a famous actor and "a role model for young people".
Jay points out that the Daily Mail settled with Morrissey over the case.
Dacre says the paper's sources were "not prepared to go to court on it".
Jay says that the paper took a month to reply to Morrissey's offer to settle if the paper apologised, and when it did, it said it would make an apology on page 2.
Morrissey complained the apology was "not given sufficient prominence" compared with the original story. He pressed on with the case, won "substantial" damages and applied for permission to make a statement in open court.
Jay asks about CFAs and a meeting between Rebekah Wade, Murdoch MacLennan, Jack Straw and Dacre.
Dacre: no win, no fee arrangements 'hijacked by predatory lawyers who charge exorbitant fees'
Dacre: Straw was sympathetic to us and conversations went on about what could be done about CFAs.
Dacre: turned down editorship of Times and Telegraph because believe Mail allows editors greater freedom
Dacre blames 'implacable' Murdoch for dragging Blair into the Iraq war at
From Telegraph Live Blog:
Mr Dacre says no-win no-fee agreements (aka CFAs), intended to help people get justice have been "hijacked by predatory lawyers who charge exorbitant fees". Fees can be £500,000 but secure only £5,000 in damages.
Mr Dacre, along with other senior newspaper industry figures, approached Gordon Brown about the issue, along with concerns over bringing jail terms for Data Protection Act breaches and changes to the rules on reporting Coroners' Courts.Dacre met Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, at his office.Mr Jay suggests Mr Dacre had been to university with Mr Straw and "had his ear". Mr Dacre says Straw was "sympathetic" but the Labour politician was a very "independent-minded" figure.
Mr Dacre says the Rothermere family, the Mail's owners, give him an editorial independence that other newspaper groups do not have. Rupert Murdoch expects his editors to follow his line, he says - and Blair could not have gone to war without his support.
Dacre: We wanted to make the PM (then Brown) aware of our concerns over s55 DPA. Jay asking Dacre if he wanted to get PM "onside".
Jay: was your r'ship with Gordon Brown better than that with Blair? Dacre: You could say that.
From Guardian Live Blog:
Jay raises a section in Dacre's 2008 Society of Editors speech which said that the editor had a meeting with Gordon Brown and raised concerns over an amendment to section 55 of the Data Protection Act that could have led to the jailing of journalists. Dacre said:"We felt this would put journalists in a very difficult position," he says of the potential for custodial sentences.
About 16 months ago, I, Les Hinton of News International and Murdoch MacLennan of the Telegraph, had dinner with Gordon Brown and raised these concerns. We also raised a truly frightening amendment to the Data Protection Act, winding its way through parliament, under which journalists faced being jailed for two years for illicitly obtaining personal information such as ex-directory telephone numbers or an individual's gas bills or medical records. This legislation would have made Britain the only country in the free world to jail journalists and could have had a considerable chilling effect on good journalism. The prime minister - I don't think it is breaking confidences to reveal - was hugely sympathetic to the industry's case. Whatever our individual newspapers' views are of the prime minister - and the Mail is pretty tough on him - we should, as an industry, acknowledge that, to date, he has been a great friend of press freedom.Dacre says that Brown was "sympathetic" to concerns put by Dacre, Murdoch MacLennan and Les Hinton.
"In the public interest they still can," Dacre says, referring to breaches of the Data Protection Act.
Dacre:You have painted a very bleak picture of the Daily Mail by highlighting rare things.A somewhat one-sided picture of the Mail.
Hugh Grant to response to Dacre's extra statement with another statement
Dacre at #leveson : Hugh Grant has spent his life opening up his life to the public, invading his own privacy
Sherborne: The latter half of your second statement is a further criticism of Mr Grant, saying he is happy to appear in press.
Dacre: I don't think I've ever criticised Mr Grant.
Sherborne says Dacre contradicts himself over Grant. He reads series of Mail articles stating how the actor hates the media.
Sherborne (victims' barrister) - this latest statement is just another shooting from the hip attack on Mr Grant
Dacre - I deny that, Grant has invaded his own privacy, witnesses have given partial impression of Mail titles
Guardian Live Blog:
Sherborne asks Dacre about his latest "curious" supplemental witness statement.
The statement is not yet public but Sherborne describes it as making further observations about Grant.
Sherborne says Dacre wrote Grant was "happily being photographed in public places". He points out the contrast with a Daily Mail article from 4 May 2007 that said "Grant, as usual, was annoyed to be photographed in the street" and "Despite the fact that they've played such a big part in making him both famous and wealthy, he detests the media, believing he ought to be above being bothered by such vile, ordinary people."
Dacre says he is bemused at being asked questions without notice about articles published five years ago.
"The point I'm trying to make that this is a man who has assiduously … courted the press," he says.
Sherborne - attacks launched on individuals for giving evidence are just a way of generating new stories
17:49 p.m.
Mr Sherbourne continues with his questioning of Paul Dacre - Please see Guardian Live Blog for details.
Nick Owens
 |
| Nick Owens and Susan Boyle |
@rosschawkins Ross Hawkins
Nick Owens Sunday Mirror reporter -who has exposed hygiene failings at a turkey farm
Nick owens, sunday mirror hack who I secretly filmed in starsuckers, takes the stand at #leveson inquiry
'Starsuckers' Film HERE
Phone Hacking Inquiry Nick Owens 'Celebrity stories are important in the papers but not the only thing that matters to journalists'
Owens argues that secret filming and deception is justified in the public interest. Jolly good.
Worth noting that until #leveson, sunday mirror have refused to comment on any starsuckers allegations for 2 years
David barr getting right to the heart of the issue - any info that would have come from would have been intrinsically medical
From Guardian Live Blog:
Leveson asks Owens what "protective measures" are taken before any undercover investigation by Owens.He says news editors would be involved at all stages. Owens talks about an undercover report into traffic wardens while he was at the Lancashire Evening Post.
Readers of the paper had expressed concerns about wardens and so "probably the only way" to investigate the potential story.
He says that being "economical with the truth" was justified because of the level of concern expressed from readers.
Owens says that the Sunday Mirror has a lawyer in the office at all times, unlike at the Lancashire Evening Post.Lord Justice Leveson asks about his undercover report into a Bernard Matthews turkey factory.
Owens says the newspaper found it justified to go undercover as an employee to investigate the factory.
Owens doesn't want to be hung on what's said in unguarded moment, despite his newspaper doing the same to others countless times
Owens was hoaxed by Starsuckers [
Phone hacking: Leveson inquiry now talking about Fern Britton and her gastric band story to Nick Owens Sunday Mirror
Owens says he wasn't arguing a story is in the public interest if celeb involved is a big enough name
Owens denies he was on a fishing expedition. "just a meeting in an informal environment. We didn't publish anything."
Owens: It wasn't a fishing expedition but an informal meeting between two people. We didn't publish anything.
owens says I was speaking to other newspapers - I was but he didn't know that at the time
Owens: I thought it was OK to listen to what Atkins had to say. We didn't publish any of the information.
Owens: I wasn't talking on behalf of my newspaper. I was having a conversation one-to-one with an individual.
Data protection act prohibits fishing expeditions, like one I offered. listening to the info was a breach w/out public interest
Nick Owens would have been better advised to have held his hands up & admitted poor judgement. This is cringe-worthy.
Barr: Are you really being candid with me in your answers to these questions? Owens: I am being candid.
Are you being quite candid with us, Mr Owens? David Barr asks the Sunday Mirror reporter about meetings with
.
Guardian Live Blog:
Owens says that the conversation is "not reflective" of the Sunday Mirror because he was having an informal one-to-one conversation.
Pressed on the exchanges about Fern Britton, Owens tells the inquiry he is being candid and was simply attempting to establish what information Atkins was claiming to be able to obtain.
This would have helped Owens explain to his news desk what evidence might be available, he says.
Owens: I was trying to work out how far this chap was saying he was going...I was trying to get clear in my mind what was going on.
Nick Owens keeps asking Barr for the question to be repeated. Buying himself time ?
Barr claims transcript shows him with a wishlist of what cosmetic surgery he wanted details on: gastric bands are best story.
Barr moving on to who Atkins said he could provide info on, a member of Girls Aloud, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans and Guy Ritchie.
Barr points out all the stories are fabricated.
Barr points out Owens went into particular details about a future publication strategy for Atkins' info. Owens: We didn't publish.
Owens: I'm only reacting to a string of stories that have been thrown at me. I'm trying to engage with Atkins to keep his interest.
Nick Owens' evidence at the #Leveson inquiry is excruciating to watch! His bosses & the lawyers at the Sunday Mirror must be cringing.
Barr hits on key point. Confidential info often used surreptitiously by tabloids to give them confidence to run intrusive stories.
Owens denied being keen to obtain documentary proof on celebrities allegedly having had or in consultation on cosmetic surgery.
owens clinging onto the point that I said I would get my friend drunk. In owens first conversation he offered to buy me some wine
Owens says he thought he might need to expose Atkins, who said he would get accomplice drunk to reveal info. [#Leveson incredulous on this].
owens hinting that he might have been investigating me. #leveson doesn't sound convinced
In his telephone conversation with me owens asked to "get a coffee or a glass of wine" - i.e. get me drunk
Sunday Mirror are hanging their entire defence on me suggesting getting someone drunk. MGN well known for teetotal abstinence
Owens: I met with editor Tina Weaver after Starsuckers was was screened in 2009. She was unhappy and said acted unwisely.
Owens: I didn't write article on Jefferies despite byline appearing. It was a production error.
Dan Wootton
 |
| Dan Wootton |
From Guardian Live Blog:
Former News of the World showbiz correspondent Dan Wootton has revealed his pre-Leveson preparation: an uplifting dose of the Canadian singer Alanis Morissette.
Big morning ahead so I'm listening to Alanis. Obv.
Dan Wootton is now up. He was showbiz ed at NoW until its closure last year. He won at British Press Award in 2010.
Wootton is from New Zealand and says set-up is more like US with no real tabloid culture.
Wootton was at NoW 2007-11, worked in his native New Zealand until 2004
Wootton: When I started at NoW was told hacking not tolerated in any way. This was post-Goodman/Mulcaire.
Wootton says he was given pocket-sized version of PCC code on his first day at NoW
Wootton says day he started there was coincidentally first PCC seminar held at NoW
From Guardian Live Blog:
Wootton says that he was assured following the conviction of News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman in 2006 that that was an "individual incident"."When I started it was made absolutely clear that that behaviour would not be tolerated in any way by [then editor] Colin Myler," he tells the inquiry.
I remember Wootton outside Wapping when NOTW was closed, telling Sky News, "I don't think it's fair to blame Rebekah Brooks.."
Wootton: Every story, even the most trivial, would be read by at least four people before publishing.
Wootton says he felt in competition with the Sun but not NoW features desk. No culture of bullying, he adds.
Wootton says individual desks at paper ran as separate entities. Can only speak re what he saw on day-to-day basis on features desk
Wootton: Holding onto scoops is hard with Twitter and internet as well as rivals. NoW conscious that stories could be leaked.
Secret squirrel stories were not revealed within NotW for fear of a leak, Wootton tells #leveson [NB these stories rarely feature squirrels]
News and Features had an intense rivalry at the Screws, Dan says he never dealt with news desk
Wootton: None of my stories used subterfuge methods. About half my stories come from celebrities themselves.
Wootton: Very careful not to become a "stooge" to celebrities. About having trust and writing about them fairly.
Guardian Live Blog:
Jay asks whether Wootton felt he was "colluding" with celebrities to put stories with a certain angle out.Wootton denies this. "I was always conscious not to become a stooge to celebrities," he says. His stories were built on trust that the celebrities would be treated fairly.
"One of my jobs was to make sure celebrities felt confident to give interviews and stories to the News of the World," he says, adding that the paper had to work on rebuilding trust in 2007, following the convictions of Goodman and Mulcaire.
Wootton: Not 100 percent the reporter's decision whether to offer a right of reply.
Wootton: A right of reply would only not be given if a newspaper/editor was 100 percent certain it was true.
Wootton: I would have given a right of reply to 99 percent of my stories, that was my policy.
Wootton: I would take a more cautious approach than other NoW journos at times as managing relationships with key showbiz figures.
Dan Wootton, former NoTW showbiz editor: staff bylines wd be put on agency stories even if the staffer hadn't touched them
From Guardian Live Blog:
Wootton says that he was once bylined on a story that he had not worked on at all.
He points out that his showbiz column, headed with his name, ran 52 weeks a year – and he did not work all year.
"There are certain accepted tabloid conventions," he says.
There were no complaints made to the PCC about Wootton's stories in the final three years of his time at the News of the World, he says.Wootton was named showbiz reporter of the year at the British Press Awards in 2010. One of the pieces that won him the prize was on the death of Boyzone member, Stephen Gately.
Wootton: 2007-2008 one complaint about an interview but no upheld adjudication.
Wootton: Public interest decided on a case-by-case basis.
Wootton: NoTW decided not to run a story about a female celeb's affair because she had never courted publicity
Wootton: People often do dismiss showbiz journalism but there is a lot of it in the public interest. Entertainment is a big aspect.
Guardian Live Blog:
Wootton is asked about the public interest.He gives the example of one celebrity who was employed by a supermarket brand and had spoken publicly about her family life amid allegations of drug abuse. He suggests this was in the public interest because it showed hypocrisy.
He contrasts this with another celebrity who had not spoken about their private life so the NoW could not mount a public interest defence on grounds of hypocrisy.
"It could go both ways," he tells the inquiry.
Wootton says readers not interested in #HughGrant because didn't appear to enjoy his job. #leveson: isn't because he didnt enjoy attention?
Wootton: I believe all celebrities have a right to privacy. Work carefully around sexuality, pregnancy, health and children/family.
Wootton: The point was people did know they could talk to me. Open communications with agents and celebrities important.
From Guardian Live Blog:
Wootton is now working for the Daily Mail, a magazine and a TV programme.He is asked about Hugh Grant and stories last year about the birth of his daughter.
"I was very concerned and disappointed when I heard one aspect of Hugh Grant's evidence," he says.
He suggests that Grant's publicists in the US have a policy of not speaking to British tabloids and describes this as "frustrating" when a journalist is attempting to give right of reply. "I definitely think there needs to be a two-way street."
