We have issued the following statement in response to the commencement of the High Court hearing in the case brought by the Duke of Sussex and others against Associated Newspapers Ltd.
Kathryn Cearns OBE, Chair of the Press Recognition Panel, said:
“With a leading UK news publisher in the dock yet again, accused of unlawful intrusion, it’s a reminder that, unlike Prince Harry and the others involved in the case, most ordinary people are unable to afford expensive legal teams and are powerless to seek justice when they feel they’ve been wronged by the press.
“Recent YouGov polling revealed that 80% of the UK population believe the press often invades people’s privacy, with only one in four respondents saying the press pays attention to complaints from ordinary members of the public. Meanwhile, six in 10 people believe the press publishing false or misleading information (63%) and failing to treat individuals and groups fairly (60%) is becoming more common, despite the measures put in place following the Leveson Inquiry.
“There is already a proven system in place that ensures access to justice through low-cost arbitration for people who believe they’ve been harmed by the press. The publisher involved in this case has chosen to operate outside that framework, and there are no legislative incentives to encourage it to join. The public deserves a properly independent, effective, and accountable system of press regulation that applies to all news publishers, protects people from press intrusion, and safeguards freedom of expression.”
