THE head of an expert panel looking into how recommendations – made by Lord Justice Leveson about Press regulation – might be implemented in Scotland has criticised plans to avoid underpinning any regulation by legislation.
Lord McCluskey was yesterday joined by fellow panel member, David Sinclair, and lawyer, Campbell Deane, at the education and culture committee of the Scottish Parliament.
Today’s Scotsman newspaper quotes him, saying of Westminster plans for a Royal Charter: “Putin and Mugabe must be rubbing their hands with glee at the idea you can just issue a decree by which you determine all these rules.
“What a terrible example for us to offer to the world to bypass the legislature in all these matters – that it should be done by the unelected head of state [The Queen].”
The panel was convened late last year, in the wake of Leveson’s recommendations being issued, and it reported last month.
Watch here, from BBC Democracy Live.
Accompanying committee documents can be found here.
The committee agenda says Leveson is to be again considered, next Tuesday.
