The Leveson Effect: a good thing for press freedom?
Speaker: Peter Lloyd, with a response by Dennis Hayes
7 PM on Wednesday 15 May 2013 in The Parlour, The Brunswick Inn, 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU: http://www.everards.co.uk/our-pubs/the-brunswick-inn-derby
Most national newspapers recently rejected the proposals for press regulation agreed by the main political parties in the aftermath of the Leveson inquiry. Where does this now leave the plans? London Mayor Boris Johnson tweeted “Press proposing alternative royal charter on regulation – keeps best of Leveson but free from political interference.” Does this mean that the democratic process has no role to play in the way the press operates?
It also appears that the debate is now over and the majority of commentators accept that the regulation of the press is a good thing but to a few lone voices proposing self-regulation in a culture of compliance and conformism has taken away the sense of any freedom being lost. Churchill said that “A Free Press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize” Are all our freedoms now under threat?
(Please note we will ask for a voluntary donation of £3 to cover costs!)
About Peter Lloyd
Peter works as a consultant in corporate governance following a career in the City of London as a broker specialising in UK companies. He writes regularly for ‘Free Society’ on personal freedom, politics, the media, and football. He is an active member of the Manifesto Club which campaigns against the hyper regulation of everyday life, writing a report in 2012 on the treatment of football supporters.
He has a keen interest in civil liberties, British politics and economics, and the media.
Peter stood as a candidate in the 2009 European elections in London for “Libertas” the political party in favour of major reform of the EU and greater democratic accountability. In 2010 he wrote a book on the erosion of the constitution and liberty in Britain which called for the adoption of a Charter of principles and a written constitution. He is Chair of the charity Age UK Wandsworth.
About Dennis Hayes
Dennis was one of the founders of the East Midlands Salon. He is Professor of Education at the University of Derby and the director of the campaign group Academics For Academic Freedom (AFAF): www.afaf.org.uk
Here is an earlier response to Leveson by Dennis and Peter from The Free Society: