Northern Ireland

Surprise 'review of press standards' in the north announced

Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a 'review of press standards' in Northern Ireland. File picture from Press Association
Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a 'review of press standards' in Northern Ireland. File picture from Press Association Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has announced a 'review of press standards' in Northern Ireland. File picture from Press Association

A 'REVIEW of press standards' in Northern Ireland was announced ahead of a key Commons vote yesterday.

Culture secretary Matt Hancock made the surprise announcement, saying a "named person (would) review the standards of the press in Northern Ireland".

It came just before the Conservative government saw off an attempt to implement a second stage of the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

A Labour-backed amendment to the Data Protection Bill would have meant a new inquiry into press ethics.

However, the amendment was defeated after the DUP, which has a confidence and supply arrangement with the Conservatives, backed the government.

DUP North Antrim MP Ian Paisley praised Mr Hancock's announcement and suggested it could be seen as a "Leveson for Northern Ireland".

Mr Paisley had previously called for the Leveson Inquiry to look at the north, claiming that his phone was hacked while he was a Stormont minister.

However, Labour MP Ed Miliband described Mr Hancock's announcement as "an extraordinary way to make policy".

"Will the Secretary of State explain to us why there can be a Leveson for Northern Ireland, but not for the rest of the United Kingdom?" he said.

The Leveson inquiry was set up in 2011 in the wake of a phone-hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News of the World.

Several people from the north gave evidence to the inquiry in 2012, including former PSNI chief constables Matt Baggott and Sir Hugh Orde and Irish News editor Noel Doran.

A second phase to the inquiry was intended to cover cases under criminal investigation when the first phase was carried out.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture said last night the review for the north would run alongside a review of journalists' compliance with new data protection regulations.

"Within this ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) review, or aligned to it, we will make sure there is an independent named reviewer for Northern Ireland," she said.