Press Complaints Commission Move

Yesterday three new members were appointed to the Press Complaints Commission. The Commission now has a majority of non-industry members in response to criticism that it was not independent enough.

The move precedes publication of the government white paper on press regulation, which is expected to introduce new privacy offences and to recommend a voluntary ombudsman to oversee the commission. The white paper may not be published until after the autumn party conferences.

The three appointments were Jenny Brown, director of the Edinburgh Book Festival, Brenda Dean, chairman of the telephone information line watchdog, and Dr Angus Macintyre, a tutor at Oxford University. The Commission now has eight non-press members and seven editors.