Civil Liberties

U.K. PM Dismisses Call for New Laws Governing Press

Media may yet head off explicit censorship

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David Cameron has just told MPs that while he accepts Lord Leveson's recommendations for a new independent press regulator, he rejects statutory underpinning of the new regulatory system.

The Prime Minister said: 'I accept these principles… The onus should now be on the press.'

He said he was in favour of giving the press a period of time to implement the recommendations. But to roars of disapproval from MPs on the other side of the Chamber, he said: 'I am not convinced… that statute is necessary.'