The National Union of Journalists has claimed a “great victory” for press freedom over changes being made to the Digital Economy Bill that it hopes will safeguard whistleblowers and public interest journalism.

Under the proposed legislation, which seeks to strengthen the UK’s digital economy with support and added protections for the general public, journalists and whistleblowers could have faced criminal sentences for the unsanctioned leaking and handling of private company records.

The issue was raised by Helen Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland and chair of the NUJ’s Parliamentary Group, while the Bill was passing through the House of Commons amid concerns it would “essentially gag journalists and set a very dangerous precedent”, the union said.