The cross-party Royal Charter sets out the criteria for an independent system of press regulation which is underpinned by legislation which means the system can only be changed with a two-thirds majority of both Houses of Parliament. An amendment to the Crime and Courts Act means that publishers which aren’t part of this Government-backed system risk exemplary damages in libel and privact cases.
Most major newspaper and magazine publishers have rejected this system and instead signed up to the Independent Press Standards Organisation – a new self regulator which is set to launch in May and retains an element of control for the press owners.
The declaration in support of the Royal Charter has been organised by Hacked Off to mark the first anniversary of it being drafted.
Full-page adverts have appeared in a number of national newspapers and magazines to back up the charter.
Supporters include Gery McCann: “Given the strong public support for Leveson it is not a surprise that all these eminent writers, film-makers, investigative journalists and other leading figures from the creative industries, are backing it. But it is very gratifying that they are prepared to stand publicly with the victims of press abuse and call on the newspapers to comply with the Royal charter."
Author Ian McEwan: "The right to freedom of expression is the bedrock of our liberty. Without it, none of our other cherished rights could have been talked or written into existence. But no freedom is absolute and all rights carry responsibilities.
“Freedom of expression is not the freedom to bully, to intimidate, to intrude where there is no public interest, or to corrupt public bodies with secret bungs. Leveson, rather like a good, hard-working journalist, exposed many such abuses in the press.
“The abusers, who are a mighty and self-interested faction, prefer business as usual. But those who value free-thinking and open political process know that bullies and corrupters must be held to account. We urgently need wise and plausible regulation."
Author Michael Frayn: “I signed because I believe in both the right to free speech and the right to proper independent redress when that right is abused. Conflicting rights are difficult to reconcile, and the only hope through the rule of law.”
Comedian John Cleese: “The big newspaper bosses are lying though their teeth about the Leveson recommendations.They say their freedom is being threatened, but when anyone points out what self-serving rubbish this is, they ignore these arguments and instead attack the people who are trying to get the truth heard. Their unscrupulousness is breath-taking.”
Here is the list of names backing the Declaration of Support of the Royal Charter on press regulation:
Alan Bennett – Writer
Alan Hollinghurst – Author
Albert Scardino – Journalist
Alfonso Cuaron – Filmmaker
Andrew Gamble – Academic
Angus Macqueen – filmmaker
Anna Van Heeswijk – Women’s group
Anthony Seldon – Historian
Antony Beevor – Historian
Artemis Cooper – Writer
Baroness Beeban Kidron – Filmmaker
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC – Human rights campaigner
Baroness Onora O’Neill – Philosopher
Baroness Sheila Hollins – Parliamentarian and mother of Abigail Witchells
Baroness Valentine – Third sector
Bella Freud – Designer
Ben Elton – Comedian and author
Benedict Cumberbatch – Actor
Bianca Jagger – Campaigner
Bill Forsyth – Filmmaker
Bob Geldof KBE – Musician and campaigner
Brian Paddick – Victim of press abuse
Brian Woods – filmmaker
Bryan Adams – Musician
Carolyn Fairbairn – Businessperson
Catherine Smadja – Free speech
Christopher Eccleston – Actor
Christopher Jefferies – Victim of press abuse
Claire Tomalin – Writer
Clare Balding – Broadcaster
Craig Raine – Poet
Dame AS Byatt – Author
Danny Boyle – Filmmaker
David Baddiel – Comedian
David Gilmour – Musician
David Heyman – Filmmaker
David Mitchell – Author
David Tennant – Actor
David Yelland – Editor (recovering)
Dawn French – Comedian
Dennis Stevenson – Philanthropist
Dr Madeleine Coy – Academic
Dr Tim Markham – Academic
Edward Benthall – Finance
Edward Bowles – Father of Sebastian
Emma Thompson – Screenwriter & actress
Eric Idle – Comedian
Graham Norton – Broadcaster
Guy Chambers – Record producer
Guy Ritchie – filmmaker
Helen Belcher – LBGT Group
Helen Fielding – Author
HJK – Victim of press abuse
Hugh Grant – Actor
Ian McEwan – Author
Imran Khan – Human rights campaigner
Irvine Welsh – Writer
J K Rowling – Author
Jacqui Hames – Victim of press abuse
Jake & Dinos Chapman – Artist
Jake Arnott – Author
James Blunt – Musician
James Fox – Writer
Jane Winter – Victim of press abuse
Jeanette Winterson – Writer
Jemima Khan – Journalist
Jeremy King – Entrepreneur
Jo Brand – Comedian
Joan Smith – Journalist
Joanna Lumley – Actor and campaigner
John Bishop – Comedian
John Bowers QC – Law
John Cleese – Comedian and writer
John Finneman – Comedian
John Pilger – Journalist
John Willis – Filmmaker
Julian Mitchell – Author
Karen Ingala Smith – Women’s group
Kate & Gerry McCann – Victims of press abuse
Katie Hickman – Writer
Kazuo Ishiguro – Author
Krish Majumdar – filmmaker
Lee Hall – Writer
Lisa Appignanesi -Writer
Lord Peter Goldsmith – Law
Lord Puttnam – Filmmaker
Lord V.S. Naipaul – Author
Louis de Bernieres – Author
Maggie Smith – Actress
Marcus Brigstocke – Comedian
Margaret & Jim Watson – Bereaved parents and victims of press abuse
Margaret Aspinall -Hillsborough Campaigner
Mark Lewis – Law
Michael Apted – Filmmaker
Michael Frayn – Author
Michael Mansfield QC – Human rights lawyer
Michael Mansfield QC – Law
Michael Ondaatje – Writer
Michael Palin – Comedian & broadcaster
Mike Leigh – Filmmaker
Miranda Hart – Comedian and author
Mo George – Victim of press abuse
Monica Ali – Author
Neal Ascherson – Journalist
Nick Davies – Freelance journalist
Nicolas Kent – Theatre director
Nigel Newton – Publisher
Paloma Faith – Musician
Pat Loughrey – University Warden
Patricia & Phil Bernal – Co-Founder of Protection against Stalking and mother of Clare Bernal
Paul Dadge – Victim of press abuse
Peter Burden – Author
Peter Capaldi – Actor
Peter Jukes – Journalist
Peter Kosminsky – Filmmaker
Peter Morgan – Writer
Peter Tatchell – Human rights campaigner
Philip Pullman – Author
Polly Sansom – Author
Polly Toynbee – Journalist
Prof Alastair Mullis – Academic
Prof Anthony Smith – Broadcaster & academic
Prof Chris Frost – Academic
Prof Colin Blakemore – Scientist
Prof Conor Gearty – Human rights lawyer
Prof David Hutchison – Computer scientist
Prof David Nutt – Scientist
Prof Frank Webster – Academic
Prof Gavin Phillipson – Lawyer and academic
Prof Graham Murdock – Academic
Prof Greg Philo – Academic
Prof Ian Hargreaves – Academic
Prof Ivor Gaber – Academic
Prof James Curran – Academic
Prof Jean Seaton – Academic
Prof John Corner – Academic
Prof John Tulloch – Victim of press abuse
Prof Joni Lovenduski – Academic
Prof Julian Petley – Academic
Prof Justin Lewis – Academic
Prof Kevin Marsh – Journalist
Prof Máire Messenger Davies – Academic
Prof Matthew Flinders – Academic
Prof Natalie Fenton – Academic
Prof Richard Dawkins – Author
Prof Steven Barnett – Academic
Prof Stuart Allan – Scientist
Prof Suzanne Franks – Academic
Rich Peppiatt – Comedian
Richard Branson – Entrepreneur
Richard Charkin – Publisher
Richard Curtis – Filmmaker
Richard Horton – Nightjack blogger
Riz Ahmed – Actor
Robert Llewellyn – Actor
Roger Graef – Filmmaker
Rory Bremner – Comedian
Rose Unlacke – Designer
Rowan Williams – Former Archbishop
Rt Rev Stephen Platten – Bishop of Wakefield
Rufus Hound – Comedian
Russell Brand – Comedian
Salman Rushdie – Author
Sam Mendes – Filmmaker
Sandi Toksvig – Broadcaster
Sandy Naime – Museum Director & Writer
Sarah Green – Women’s group
Sean Mathias – Theatre director
Sean Sutcliffe – Entrepreneur
Sebastian Conran – Industrial Designer
Sigrid Rausing – Publisher
Sir Alan Ayckbourn – Playwright
Sir Alan Parker – Filmmaker
Sir Anthony Salz – Law
Sir Cyril Chantler – Doctor
Sir David Attenborough – Broadcaster and naturalist
Sir David Hare – Playwright
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC – Human rights campaigner
Sir Ian McKellan – Actor
Sir Jonathan Miller – Writer
Sir Michael Holroyd – Biographer
Sir Nicholas Hytner – Theatre Director
Sir Ranulph Fiennes – Writer and explorer
Sir Simon Rattle – Conductor
Sir Simon Robertson – Business
Sir Stephen Sedley – Jurist
Sir Tim Smit – Environmentalist
Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett – Philanthropist
Sir Tom Stoppard – Playright
Sophie Bennett – Feminist campaigner
Stephen Daldry – Film and theatre director
Stephen Frears – Filmmaker
Stephen Fry – Writer and broadcaster
Steve Coogan – Comedian and writer
Sue Roberts – Hillsborough Campaigner
Sue Stapely – Law
Susana Giner – Youth group
Tamsin Allen – Law
Terence Conran – Designer
Terrence Tehranian – Entrepreneur
Terry Gilliam – Filmmaker
Terry Jones – Comedian and filmmaker
Tim Smit – Environmentalist
Tony Robinson – Actor & Broadcaster
Victoria Wood – Writer & comedian
Will Hutton – Journalist & former editor
William Boyd – Author
William Sieghart – Publisher
Willy Russell – Playwright
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown – Journalist
Zoe Margolis – Victim of press abuse
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