The newspaper and magazine industry has today lodged its formal appeal against the High Court decision not to grant a judicial review over the Privy Council’s rejection of the industry’s proposed Royal Charter.
The Press Standards Board of Finance (Pressbof) applied to the High Court on 30 October for an injunction to prevent the Privy Council from signing a Government -ponsored Royal Charter.
Pressbof also wanted the High Court to consider overturning the Privy Council’s rejection of the industry’s own proposals.
However, Lord Justice Richards and Mr Justice Sales denied both applications allowing the Privy Council to rubber-stamp the Government’s proposals.
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Pressbof chairman Lord Black of Brentwood: "The imposition by the Privy Council of a Royal Charter on our industry raises hugely significant questions about a free press, a free society and the quality of our democracy. Quite apart from the threat to press freedom in the UK, it will have terrible reverberations across the Commonwealth and the developing world. The stakes are extremely high.
“We do not believe that a hastily convened hearing for an emergency injunction application is an appropriate venue for giving proper consideration to these vital issues. We are confident our appeal will succeed.”
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