The Guardian and Observer publisher has distanced itself from an amendment to the Data Protection Bill which would uniquely exempt the titles from paying punitive legal costs.

Peers’ Section 40 amendments to the bill, which would see publishers pay both sides’ legal costs in data protection disputes, win or lose, have been  slammed by many publishers as “anti-press”.

Guardian News and Media has said it has written to all MPs making clear that it disagrees with “attempts to impose a selective sanction on the media” ahead of a Commons vote later today.