Mandelson rules out tougher privacy laws
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Diana photographs were described as "intrusive" yesterday by Peter Mandelson, the minister without portfolio, but he ruled out government action to impose tougher privacy laws, writes Colin Brown.
He said he was against introducing statutory laws on press and privacy, and he cast doubt on claims that the Government's plans to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into British law would mean new curbs on the press.
Mr Mandelson said the convention gives protection to both the individual's right to privacy and the media's right to freedom of expression. "You've got two competing rights there and they've got to be properly balanced," he said.
The Government would leave it up to the judges to determine the balance, said Mr Mandelson, who saw nothing wrong with media coverage of the decision by Robin Cook, the Foreign Secretary, to leave his wife after 28 years to live with his secretary.
"Robin Cook himself has said he's a public person, he's a public individual. What he regretted were the consequences for his wife and family and he made a very fulsome apology to his wife and to his two boys for the hounding that they subsequently received. Although I must say I think even that has been tempered by a great deal of responsibility and sensitivity shown in the main by the press," Mr Mandelson said on BBC's Breakfast with Frost.
"The problem of having an all-encompassing privacy law being introduced by Parliament is the protection it gives to those who don't merit protection," added the minister.
"The press, when it's doing it's job properly, when it's not just engaging in gossip and tittle-tattle and having a go at various individuals ... is exposing wrongdoing and corruption and malpractice.
"I would hate to see the day when the British press are prevented from exposing that wrongdoing."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments