Leveson Inquiry: Ian Hislop argues against tougher regulation of the press

Stringent enough laws are already in place to tackle abuses like phone hacking, Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, told the Levenson Inquiry today.

Mr Hislop rejected calls for statutory regulation saying that the laws were not rigorously enforced because of the close relationship police and politicians had with senior media executives.

“The fact that these laws were not rigorously enforced is again due to the failure of the police, the interaction of the police and News International - and let’s be honest about this, the fact that our politicians have been very, very involved in ways that I think are not sensible with senior News International people.”

He said he hoped that inquiry chairman Lord Justice Leveson would call Prime Minister David Cameron and his predecessors Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to give evidence.