PM At Risk Of "Betrayal" Over Press Regulation

Victims of media intrusion have accused David Cameron of failing to keep his promise to implement a system of press regulation with "real teeth".

In an open letter, published in the Guardian newspaper , a number of signatories – including Kate and Gerry McCann – claim the Prime Minister is at risk of "betraying" the public.

The McCanns have received libel damages after false stories were published about their daughter Madeleine’s disappearance in 2007.

Other signatories include Christopher Jefferies, who was wrongly accused of the murder of Joanna Yeates, and relatives of people who died at Hillsborough.

Mr McCann told the Guardian: "Feelings are very strong among those of us to whom the Prime Minister publicly and privately made his pledges.

"If he does not keep his promises to implement the cross-party agreement in full, allow the Leveson Inquiry to be completed and put the needs of the public before press proprietors, we will have been betrayed by him."

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale announced last year that he was considering scrapping plans to force newspapers to pay court costs in libel and privacy cases, whether they won or lost.

The idea had been part of a cross-party agreement.

A spokesman for the department of culture, media and sport told the Guardian: "No decision has been taken about when to commence the cost provisions. The matter is still under consideration."

The signatories of the letter say they wrote to Mr Cameron in November, requesting a meeting to discuss their concerns. They say the PM declined.

Instead, they claim Mr Cameron met newspaper proprietors, including Sun and Times owner Rupert Murdoch and his editors, "on no fewer than seven occasions" between June and December 2015.

The letter states: "We believe that it is not just us whom you are at risk of betraying, but Parliament, the public at large and the future victims of a press industry which was condemned by Leveson for 'wreaking havoc in the lives of innocent people'.

"If your promises are not kept, history tells us that newspapers will wreak that havoc again. It is not too late. Please honour your promises."

Downing Street told the Guardian it would not be commenting until it had received the letter.