Preserve free press in UK, says Communities secretary Eric Pickles

The government should be reluctant to bring in tough laws to regulate the press following the publication of the Leveson Inquiry, according to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.

Mr Pickles said the press was working on offering proper recourse for those with legitimate complaints, and said the right of the British press to expose corruption must be protected.

He warned that ministers must be very careful about introducing statutory regulation, should Lord Justice Leveson recommend a new independent watchdog to monitor the press.

He said: “I think it is really massively important to ensure we have freedom of press in this country. It is good at exposing corruption and it is good at going to places where other press wouldn’t.

“I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said that for a free society to operate, then the ‘river of a free press had to flow without restriction’.

“The press are looking towards finding ways…of offering a good way that people who have a legitimate complaint can find recourse.

“We should be very, very, very reluctant to take on legislation. It’s a balance and my view is that we should always balance in 
favour of a free press.”