David Cameron Champions Free Press That Looks Into 'Dark Recesses of Our Nation'

David Cameron championed a free press “that feels free to enquire, to look into the dark recesses of our nation” at the Newspaper Conference annual lunch last week.

Speaking about the Leveson Inquiry and press regulation, the Prime Minister welcomed the new chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Lord David Hunt, to the lunch.

"As you know, I’ve huge respect for your knowledge, your wisdom, your ability, and your knowledge and love of the free press in this country. I think you’ll do a fantastic job." 

The Prime Minister told an audience of regional newspaper publishers, editors and political correspondents of his total commitment to a free press.

“I am passionate about having not just a free press but a press that feels free to inquire, to look into the dark recesses of our nation and to do the investigative work that it does so well. I don’t want anything to stop that,” David Cameron said.

“It is very important that politicians don’t treat this as some sort of avenue to get revenge for the expenses saga and I’m afraid that sometimes it can sound like that’s what they are doing.

“That is not my view at all. I think it is a good thing the expenses saga happened, that a light was shone on this and changes were made. I want whatever comes out of Leveson, we’ve got to let him get on with his work, to safeguard a free independent and responsible press in our country."

He called on publishers to get involved in the Leveson Inquiry, adding: “There’s no intention on behalf of this government to try and neuter the press. I want a free vigorous press I think it’s a great thing we have in Britain.”

The lunch was chaired by Nick Lester, parliamentary lobby correspondent for Northcliffe Media, who welcomed the Prime Minister to the lunch.  

“Many challenges currently face the newspaper industry not least the fallout from the phone-hacking scandal, and the implications for self-regulation,” Nick said in his speech. “Such illegal, immoral actions are a world away from local papers, which are read across the political spectrum and trusted by their readership.”

The Prime Minister took questions from regional press political editors on a range of issues such as city mayors, the European Union and the economy and in his speech. He also acknowledged the critical role played by regional and local newspapers: “I think the regional press is an immensely valuable asset that we have in our country and that the local campaigns and the local stories that you run are absolutely vital in our public interest.

“The second thing I want to say is about your contribution to the national task we have of rebalancing our economy.  It’s perfectly clear that over the last decade, two decades, that we’ve become too reliant on financial services, too reliant on housing, on immigration and too reliant on some parts of the country rather than all parts of the country to grow our economy.

“We need to have the reindustrialisation of Britain; we need the growth of manufacturing and technology, of tradable goods. You are all playing a role in that through the [Local] Business Accelerators campaign launched this week; nearly 500 daily and weekly titles joining forces to find the nation’s most promising young businesses and help accelerate their business - it’s a brilliant, practical idea.”

The Prime Minister said he believed in the role of local and regional papers in supporting Big Society and the “massive, key role of local newspapers” citing campaigns such as The Journal’s campaign against obesity, Leicester Mercury’s stories on vulnerable children in care and The Herald’s campaign for healthier living as well as regional newspapers’ apprenticeships campaigns.

He said events such as the Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics next year should provide renewed confidence about Britain’s place in the world. “I want the Olympic sprit to reach every part of the country, not just London, and regional papers have clearly got a key role to play in that,” he added.  

Asked whether about the KM Group’s attempted acquisition of Northcliffe titles in the county as the first test of relaxed local media merger regulations, the PM said he shared “the frustrations” of publishers when the deal was referred to the Competition Commission.

“I’m afraid though we have competition authorities in place to make these very difficult decisions; they have the professionalism, they have the training, that is where you go to have your case heard, and it is incumbent on people who want the merger to go ahead to get them to understand your business and your industry and to make the compelling case that you have to make.

“So I totally understand the frustration but it is very important in this country the competition authorities are independent and come to these decisions on their own.

“Clearly it’s a very challenging time for the newspaper industry, and that should necessarily involve some companies coming together sometimes with other newspapers, sometimes with other media groups.

“Of course I’ve always believed in having a more open market and a market where you can form these sorts of alliances but you have to make your case to the OFT , the competition authorities are independent, we are still living in a free country and I’m afraid the competition authorities have to be independent.”