Tell Theresa May: support press abuse victims calling for section 40 now

Recently, IMPRESS became the first Leveson recognised press regulator - a huge success! - but for it to work properly, the Prime Minister must stop blocking the critical measure which would incentivise publishers to join it. The big news corporations know that this could mean an end to their ability to abuse and lie, so they're lobbying the Prime Minister publically now, after having done so relentlessly in private, and they have launched a campaign to have the measure dropped. But victims of press abuse have today launched their own video campaign to fight back: to explain the torment which they each went through, and to ask for your support.

Will you watch the 30 second clip or the full version and email the Prime Minister today using the form below?

The measure they're calling for - Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act - is a 'win win win'.

It delivers guaranteed access to justice to those victims who don't have the money to take a big newspaper corporation to court; it acts as a 'cost shifting incentive', so that newspaper corporations are encouraged to join a recognised regulator (because if they refuse to offer complainants access to quick cheap arbitration through a Leveson-style regulator, they have to pay a claimant's costs, win or lose); and it gives journalists stronger free speech protections so that they can expose wrong-doing free from the threat of chilling from litigious offenders like Robert Maxwell and Jimmy Savile.

The big newspaper corporations, backed by the industry lobby group, the Society of Editors, and the sham press watchdog IPSO, are falsely claiming that this measure poses a threat to press freedom. This is NOT TRUE.

Section 40 is good for victims, good for the public and good for journalism.

This is crunch time. We know that the Prime Minister has already met secretly with Rupert Murdoch once. And it is unlikely to have been her only contact with a press owner over this matter. They will do everything they can to retain their power without accountability.

Please ask the Prime Minister to commence this measure without delay.

A template letter is below.

First name *

Last name *

Your email *

Address *

Address 2

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Subject

Dear Prime Minister, 
Section 40: stop interfering in press regulation and commence this vital access to justice measure without delay
After Leveson, politicians of all stripes vowed to stop kow-towing to newspaper editors, executives and proprietors.  And yet, over three years since the statute to help bring about independent, effective and Leveson-style regulation was enacted, that legislation remains un-commenced.
That is Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013: supported by journalists, the public, victims and Parliament.  Opposed by press barons – with the complicity of the Government.
I am writing to ask you to support the victims of illegal press abuse who are calling on you to commence this critical guaranteed access to justice measure without delay. If you haven't seen it already, <a href="http://hackinginquiry.org/latest-news/theresa-may-guarantee-press-victims-access-to-justice/">please watch their video here</a> (or cut and paste this link into your browser http://hackinginquiry.org/latest-news/theresa-may-guarantee-press-victims-access-to-justice/) 
 Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act is a 'win win win': 
<ul>
<li>it delivers guaranteed access to justice to those victims who don't have the money or wherewithal to take a big newspaper corporation to court; </li>
<li>it acts as a cost shifting incentive, so that those newspaper corporations are encouraged to join a recognised regulator (and only have to pay costs, win or lose, if they choose not to offer claimants access to quick cheap arbitration); and </li>
<li>it gives journalists stronger free speech protections so that they can expose wrong-doing free from the threat of chilling from litigious offenders like Robert Maxwell and Jimmy Savile. </li>
</ul>
The big newspaper corporations, backed by the industry body the Society of Editors, and the industry's sham watchdog IPSO, are falsely claiming that this measure poses a threat to press freedom. This is NOT TRUE, as you will know, having personally voted for it and been part of the Government which steered it through Parliament in 2013.
Section 40 is good for victims, good for the public and good for journalism.  It is a “negative” only for those press owners who prefer the power to abuse, bully and intimidate, without offering redress or access to justice.  Those who consider themselves the most powerful in the country – and who do not wish to be held accountable for that.
Your predecessor David Cameron said that the close relationship between politicians and the press was going to end. The public see straight through press/politician complicity and recognise inaction over press reform for what it is. Please support victims of illegal press abuse, follow through on the historic cross-party Royal Charter agreement, and commence this measure without delay. 
Thank you.

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Tell Theresa May: support press abuse victims calling for section 40 now