Press Complaints Commission Chairman Lord Hunt has expressed “deep concern” over the Mail on Sunday’s attempts to speak to Ed Miliband’s relatives at a memorial to his late uncle.
The PCC has been inundated with complaints since the original controversy broke last weekend. Already, more than 700 people have lodged formal complaints about the coverage.
Lord Hunt assured the Miliband family that he will act if they decide to lodge a formal complaint.
In a statement released this afternoon, Lord Hunt said: “I was deeply concerned to read Ed Miliband’s account of the presence of an uninvited journalist at the memorial service for his late uncle. The editor of the Mail on Sunday has accepted that something appears to have gone badly wrong at his newspaper in this instance. I note also that he has apologised ‘unreservedly’ and has suspended two members of staff while the incident is investigated.
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“While Mr Miliband has made clear that he currently has no intention of making a complaint to the PCC, the protection of vulnerable individuals – including bereaved family members – is at the very heart of what the PCC does, and we shall continue to follow this matter closely.
“We would, of course, take forward a complaint from the Miliband family, should we receive one. In the meantime, it would be inappropriate for me comment in further detail, as to do so could pre-empt any possible action the Commission might decide to take.”
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