We'll find out today just how corrupt Lord Justice Leveson believes the British press is and what should be done to put a stop to some of its dubious activities. His report into Press Ethics -- rumoured to be 2,000 pages long - is being issued this lunchtime and everyone will find out exactly what he recommends for the way forward. It's the culmination of an 8-month long investigation, where the police, celebs, politicians and various media figures were called as witnesses to give evidence here at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. It's thought the report will either suggest a tightening of the existing self-regulation or imposing regulation by the state overseen by an independent body.
Why? Because of the revelation that a private detective working for the News of The World hacked into the mobile phone of murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler. An act which made her anxious parents believe that their missing daughter might still be alive. Thereafter evidence surfaced that phones of countless people in the public eye had also been hacked by people working for, or on behalf, of the same newspaper -- all just to get a big story and beat the competition. The newspaper was shut down, arrests and charges surrounding those allegations followed and big compensation payments were made. While the Newspaper Society believes state regulation will give away freedom of speech. Campaigners believe that current lax self-regulation has got to be fixed:
David Cameron and Nick Clegg spent yesterday looking at the report and preparing their statement. The PM will deliver that to the House of Commons later on this afternoon.
Written and presented by Marverine Cole
