KM Group praised by David Cameron during Prime Minister's Questions
David Cameron visiting
the KM Group's Maidstone office in April 2008
Prime Minister David Cameron today praised the KM Group in
the House of Commons.
He was answering a question from Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Conservative MP Gordon Henderson - who urged him to resist
calls to muzzle the freedom of the regional press such as the
"exceptional" KM Group, publisher of this website.
Mr Cameron said the issues surrounding behaviour of the Press
did not relate to the regional media and he was aware of the
good work carried out by the KM Group.
The KM Group has contacted all Kent MPs
urging them to resist the prospect of statutory regulation of the
press.
It comes ahead of publication of the long-awaited Leveson
report into the ethics and practices of the industry.
Mentioning the KM Group during Prime Minister's Questions today,
Mr Henderson (pictured left) said: "A free Press is one of the
cornerstones of a true democracy.
"Any attempt to muzzle newspapers, such as the excellent Kent
Messenger Group in my own constituency should be strenuously
resisted."
Mr Cameron replied: "I join him in my admiration of the Kent
Messenger Group in all that they do.
"It is an important point, because the problems we have had in
our newspaper industry have not really been about regional and
local titles that perform an incredibly important function in our
democratic system."
The Leveson inquiry was established by the government in the
wake of the phone hacking scandal at the News of The World.
More than 70 Tory MPs have written to Mr Cameron calling for
official press regulation enshrined in law, but the prospect has
sparked a fierce backlash from many people concerned about freedom
of speech.
Many have called for improved regulation enshrined in law, but
many within the industry are fiercely opposed to this, claiming it
will affect freedom of the Press.
Other Kent MPs have backed calls to resist statutory Press
regulation.
Sir John Stanley (Con), MP for Tonbridge and Malling, said:
"Like everyone else, journalists have to remain subject to the
criminal law and to the law on libel and defamation.
"However, I attach the utmost importance to maintaining freedom
of expression in Britain which is fundamental to a free
society.
"I shall of course give careful consideration to the Leveson
Report, but I don’t want to see politicians controlling the
Press."
And Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke (Con) said: "I am very
firmly in favour of a free press and I am totally opposed to state
control of the press.
"I believe in self regulation of the press but I do feel that
the Press Complaints Commission has not worked as well as it
should."
21/11/12
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