Born 1957. Journalist and author and former press secretary to Tony Blair as Leader of the Opposition (1994-97) and as Prime minister (1997-2000). From 2000-2003, he was director of communications for the Labour Party (2000-03). Before 1994, he had been political editor of Today newspaper and the Daily Mirror. Campbell gave detailed testimony on the political media and what he saw as the decline of genuine investigative journalism and the increasing tendency of owners, editors and senior journalists to wish to be political players. Embellishment and pure invention were tolerated and encouraged by some editors and owners, he said.
Freelance journalist, consultant and, at the time of the Inquiry, Guardian Readers' Editor. Member of the Ethical Journalism Network and Chair of Concern Worldwide UK. Gave evidence on the role of a Readers’ Editor and on the procedures for correcting errors.
Conservative MP for Surrey Heath and Education Secretary at the time of the Inquiry. A former journalist at the Aberdeen Press and Journal, the Times, the BBC and the Spectator. Told the Inquiry that sometimes "individuals reach for regulation in order to deal with failures of character or morality, and sometimes that regulation is right and appropriate but some of us believe that before the case for regulation is made, the case for liberty needs to be asserted as well".
Labour MP for Rhondda. Member of the Commons Media Select Committee, where he raised concerns about News International journalists making payments to police officers. Bryant told the Inquiry that, shortly after this, his phone was hacked by the News of the World and Bryant was reported by several papers to have used a gay dating site. In 2012, he received £30,000 damages from NI.
Victim of misrepresentation in the British media, with false reports of her lifestyle and fashion choices. Cunliffe complained to the PCC with little response. She told her story to the Leveson Inquiry and was later given apologies by the Daily Mail and Guardian, who blamed the source of their story, having purchased the article from an agency. Told the Leveson Inquiry that the Express continued to run the story and had not responded to emails.
Media and technology reporter at The Guardian. He was asked by the Leveson Inquiry team to provide a short statement on a story headlined "Virgin Atlantic faces claims that dozens of celebrities' flight details were leaked".
Director of Editorial Legal Services at Guardian News and Media Limited at time of Inquiry. Phillips had previously worked for other media companies, having also spent time as a senior lecturer at the College of Law specialising in Criminal Law, Civil and Criminal Litigation and Employment Law. She worked as an assistant solicitor at the BBC from 1987 to 1996, dealing with a range of media issues including libel, contempt, court reporting, disclosure of sources, breach of confidence and the Official Secrets Act. She gave evidence that she had had no written or other communications at The Guardian on the subject of any journalist obtaining information by illegal means.
Award-winning investigative writer and journalist, specialising in social affairs and science. Quarmby gave researched evidence on how people with disabilities are treated in the media and the impact it has on their lives. Criticised the Inquiry for being more interested in celebrities than those whose lives may equally be destroyed by bad journalism.