Press Complaints Commission director to stand down

THE director of the Press Complaints Commission is to step down from his post at the end of the month.

Stephen Abell is leaving the PCC to join a PR consultancy after a decade working for the watchdog.

The PCC has appointed Michael McManus, who has worked as a Government special adviser and as a director of PR firm Bell Pottinger, as its director of transition.

The body is under intense scrutiny as the Leveson Inquiry into press standards examines proposals for reforming the way newspapers are regulated.

PCC chairman Lord Hunt of Wirral said: “When I joined the PCC last year, Stephen and I agreed that we would work together until we were in a position to propose a new structure for self-regulation of the press.

“I have valued his assistance in this, and his professionalism in leading the PCC’s staff as they continued their important work during a difficult period.”

Mr Abell joined the PCC in 2001 and held a number of posts before becoming director in December 2009.

He said: “It has been a great privilege to work over the years with the committed, wonderful staff and board members of the PCC.

“I have been involved with the PCC for more than a decade, and I decided last year that it was time for a new challenge.

“First, I wanted to work with David Hunt in the development of positive proposals for a new structure of self-regulation. I believe we have now done that. I also wanted to give a full account of the work of the PCC to Lord Justice Leveson.

“I remain a firm supporter of enhanced self-regulation for the press, maintaining all that is good about the work of the PCC, and am confident that this will be achieved as a result of the Leveson Inquiry.”

Lord Hunt laid out his proposals for a reformed PCC in evidence to the Leveson Inquiry last month.