Tuesday 14 June 2022 12:34 AM Ministers vow to combat Labour's bid to get Leveson plan through back door trends now
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Ministers vowed last night to scupper a Labour plan to impose state regulation on the British Press.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is steering through Parliament an Online Safety Bill to crack down on internet hate speech.
The legislation includes exemptions for the media by making it harder for their content to be removed.
But now a Labour MP has put forward an amendment to the Bill which would mean this protection only applies to papers which are a member of an ‘approved regulator’.
This is a reference to one of the most controversial aspects of the Leveson Inquiry into Press standards – the demand that newspapers should sign up to a State-approved regulator.
Critics say the amendment means Labour is trying to get the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry through Parliament clandestinely.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is steering through Parliament an Online Safety Bill to crack down on internet hate speech
A Government source said: ‘Labour wants to muzzle a free Press. We won’t allow this amendment, which is designed to do Leveson via the back door.
‘The Online Safety Bill is there to help keep children safe and hold big tech accountable but instead Labour want to play political
