Why the Leveson Report Recommendations have Screwed Politicians and Media

Why the Lord Justice Leveson Report Recommendations Have Screwed Politicians and the Media The Lord Justice Leveson Report recommendations that were published last week have sparked a ferocious vicious war between politicians and the media. The HACKED OFF campaign has received more than 100,000 votes for its support of the Leveson Report recommendations. But is this so called support really that widespread among the public? I say that while the press should be regulated, and also free, people are more concerned with the bread and butter issues of day to day. Such as knowing if they have enough money to feed themselves. Knowing they can afford to feed their families, fill up the tank in their cars to go to work. And to make sure they have a decent pension pot for when they retire. Labour’s opposition leader Ed Miliband claimed the PM David Cameron had betrayed the “victims” of phone hacking and the Hacked Off campaign by defying the Leveson Report recommendations. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he was in favour of a statutory underpinning, but had fears about data protection. Ed Miliband and the Labour Party came out ALL in favour of the Leveson Report recommendations without a thought of the consequences. They screwed themselves. Miliband's stance was purely a political one, as was David Cameron's. The PM David Cameron and the Tories, (well, most of them), came ALL out against the idea of a statutory law enshrining press freedom claiming it would be difficult to implement practically, and probably, thay have SCREWED THEMSELVES. Maybe one of them will be vindicated, in time. Or, maybe, THEY WILL ALL BE SCREWED?… Who knows? And do you know what? Lord Justice Leveson is the only winner in this game!… Why do I say that? Well, first, Lord Justice Leveson knows that politicians find it hard to agree on anything. And, they also find it hard to come to a consensual, sensible agreement quickly. We heard all the usual mumblings about cross party talks from the politicians, and let’s not make this a party political issue, but… They did exactly the opposite, because… That is politics. Usually, when politicians end up making laws quickly, they are…BAD LAWS! And, we know that when politicians get a whiff of power, they are salivating over the prospect of being in FULL control. No matter how Liberal it is to want to legislate as a last resort, politicians love a bit of ink blot they have created! And they want more! Two, Lord Justice Leveson knows that the media also find it hard to come to a mutual understanding quickly. It’s been decades since press regulation was given its first go. It’s been centuries since there was a law underpinning what press could do or not do. And, assuming the PM David Cameron and No 10 Downing Street are right about the difficulties of drafting a press law enshrining press freedom, it will be decades before another Leveson Inquiry has another go at this very same issue. And another Lord Justice Leveson will screw the media and politicians again. And, by that time, newspapers will be…DEAD? Lord Justice Leveson has played a clever game. He has played the politicians and the media. And I bet he did secretly with a big smile on his face. As he said in his press statement at the end of publishing his 2000 page report: “The ball is now in the politicians’ court. They must decide who guards the guardians.” That is, to me, probably the most important part of the Leveson Report to date… Forget the law. Forget the PCC Forget OfCom. This is now a war of attrition between the dithering politicians versus the insecure media that will find it incredibly hard to reach agreemnent. I maybe wrong but... Leveson knew this all along when he delivered the Leveson report recommendations.