PM: No Need For New Law On Press Regulation

David Cameron has rejected the need for new laws on press regulation after Lord Justice Leveson made the case for radical reform.

The Prime Minister broadly welcomed the principles of the judge's 2,000-page report, in which he condemned the "outrageous" actions of newspapers.

But he cast doubt on his central recommendation that a new system of press self-regulation needed to be supported by statute in order to command public confidence.

"I have some serious concerns and misgivings about this recommendation. For the first time, we would have crossed the Rubicon, writing elements of press regulation into the law of the land," Mr Cameron said.

"We should, I believe, be wary of any legislation which has the potential to infringe free speech and a free press.

"In this House, which has been a bulwark of democracy for centuries, we should think very, very carefully before crossing this line."

David Cameron responding to the report in the Commons

His Commons statement came shortly after the judge outlined his proposals for an overhaul of press regulation in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

It sets the stage for a bitter political battle, with Labour leader Ed Miliband immediately insisting there should be "no more last chance saloons" and backing the report in full.

In an extraordinary move, Nick Clegg will deliver his own statement shortly after he and Mr Cameron failed to agree on a joint Government response.

Lord Justice Leveson plans would see the Press Complaints Commission replaced with a new, independent self-regulatory body overseen by media watchdog Ofcom.

Newspapers would be liable for fines of up to £1m if they break the rules. They would be expected to sign up voluntarily, with "convincing incentives" to persuade them.

Bob and Sally Dowler arriving to read the report

The new regulator should be governed by an independent board appointed without any influence from industry or government and run under the oversight of media watchdog Ofcom.

But any involvement of Ofcom will mean new legislation, a move fiercely opposed by the press and many politicians amid fears of restrictions on free speech.

The findings come 16 months after Lord Justice Leveson was asked to investigate the press and after months of evidence from celebrities, politicians, media figures and the police.

Mr Cameron set up the probe following national outrage at revelations that the News Of The World hired a private detective to hack murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone.

Lord Justice Leveson said he had overseen the most concentrated look at the British press ever which had laid bare how it had repeatedly flouted its own rules.

He stressed that his aim was not to restrict the freedom of the press but declared: "There must be change."

"There have been too many times when, chasing the story, parts of the press have acted as if its own code, which it wrote, simply did not exist," he said.

"This has caused real hardship, and on occasion, wreaked havoc with the lives of innocent people whose rights and liberties have been disdained.

"This is not just the famous but ordinary members of the public, caught up in events (many of them truly tragic) far larger than they could cope with but made much, much worse by press behaviour that, at times, can only be described as outrageous."

Kate McCann at the QEII centre

The judge dismissed the idea that events such as the hacking scandal at the News Of The World were "aberrations that do not reflect the culture, practices or ethics of the press as a whole".

He also criticised editors for failing to be embarrassed at the level of intrusion and highlighted the use of covert surveillance, "blagging" and deception.

"There has been a recklessness in prioritising sensational stories, almost irrespective of the harm that the stories may cause and the rights of those who would be affected," he said.

Celebrities were treated as "fair game" and newspapers adopted a "significant and reckless disregard for accuracy", he added.

He concluded that politicians of all parties had developed "too close a relationship with the press in a way which has not been in the public interest".

He noted that Mr Cameron went to "great lengths" to woo Rupert Murdoch's News International newspaper empire before the last general election.

He did dismiss the idea there had been any deal of newspaper support in return of policy favours but said the link created a "public perception" problem.

However, he found there had been no bias by former culture secretary Jeremy Hunt over the bid by News Corp to take over BSkyB.

The judge exonerated the Metropolitan Police, which has faced criticism for its original investigation into phone hacking in 2006.

He concluded police had made poor decisions that were poorly executed but said the force's integrity was not challenged.

Protesters dressed as David Cameron and Rupert Murdoch

The Prime Minister and his deputy held talks this morning to try to hammer out a joint coalition response but they eventually decided to respond separately.

This is an early blow to Mr Cameron after he vowed to try and seek a cross-party consensus on a new regulatory system.

The report says it is essential that the new regulatory system is supported in law, but stresses that this is different to statutory regulation of the press.

In a stark warning, he warned that Ofcom could be used as a "backstop" regulator if the industry refused to cooperate with his system.

He expressed hope that a cross-party consensus on his recommendations could be achieved but the publication of his report sets the stage for a bitter, potentially long-winded political battle.

MPs on all sides are divided about how to proceed, with many insisting that any form of law governing the press would be a step too far.

Key figures who took part in the inquiry, which has cost the taxpayer up to £6m, gathered at the QEII centre in London today to read the report in advance of its official publication.

They included Bob and Sally Dowler, Kate McCann, actor Hugh Grant, former F1 boss Max Mosley and ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott.

The Hacked Off campaign group, in an initial statement, warned against any attempts to kick the issue into the long grass.

"These proposals are reasonable and proportionate and we call on all parties to get together to implement them as soon as possible. The press must be given a deadline, the inquiry is over, now is the time for action," it said.

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