Gerry McCann calls for press control laws – and 75% of the public agree

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/feb/09/gerry-mccann-leveson-inquiry-press-control-laws

Poll shows overwhelming support for missing Madeleine's father on how Leveson inquiry findings must be enforced

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Vanessa Thorpe, arts and media correspondent
The Observer, Saturday 9 February 2013 22.00 GMT
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KateMcCann, Gerry McCann
'We relived our darkest days': Gerry and Kate McCann arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice to give evidence to the Leveson inquiry. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

Gerry McCann is to reveal on Monday that he and his wife, Kate, fear they have "relived our darkest days" needlessly in the vain hope that new legislation would be introduced to control the press.

"Leveson without the law is meaningless," the father of missing Madeleine McCann will tell a Westminster audience at a conference for politicians and the victims of media intrusion.

His speech, which will call for speedy legislation to implement the recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson at the end of his nine-month inquiry, comes in the wake of a poll seen by the Observer showing that almost three-quarters of the public agree with him.

Conducted by YouGov for the Media Standards Trust, the poll also indicates an even bigger proportion – 83% – want more distance between politicians and the media, or at least greater transparency about the relationship, while another substantial majority would like immediate government action to control the press.

McCann will address hacking victims and members of parliament, expected to include culture secretary Maria Miller, at the Hacked Off Victims Conference.

"Kate and I had the misfortune to suffer from everything the press could throw at us," the doctor will tell his audience.

"The reason we subsequently agreed to the ordeal of giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry was that we don't want anyone else to have to go through what we went through.

"The Leveson package, including legal underpinning, is the minimum acceptable compromise for us and, judging by the polls, for the public at large. Leveson without the law is meaningless."

Supporters of the campaign group Hacked Off, including Charlotte Church, Hugh Grant and the falsely accused Bristol teacher Christopher Jefferies, believe the government has blocked parliamentary attempts to enact the recommendations of the inquiry report.

"When the prime minister promised to protect those who have been 'picked up and thrown to the wolves' by this process, we hoped for real change," McCann will say.

"The idea that Kate and myself, and the other victims, might have relived our darkest days in the full glare of the media for no good reason is just galling."

The YouGov poll found that, like McCann, 73% of the 2,030 adults surveyed last month would have "not much" or "no" confidence in a new system of voluntary press regulation with no legal backing. And 73% of respondents also said they believe that meetings between politicians and senior media figures should be made public, while only 10% said they should not.

The Media Standards Trust, a charity lobbying for reform and press accountability, believes the poll gives more weight to the argument that the government has now consulted widely enough. The poll the trust commissioned shows that 64% of those asked favour the introduction of a new regulatory system within 12 months or sooner.

"This poll shows that the public overwhelmingly support implementation of Leveson, and do not have confidence in a system set up by the press without proper independent oversight. There's a real fear that, if things do not change substantially, the same illegal and unethical practices will recur," said the director of the Media Standards Trust, Dr Martin Moore.

"The public also want politicians to become a lot more transparent, and not revert to the cosy relationships they enjoyed before the Leveson inquiry."

Supporters of press legislation took heart last Tuesday when peers unexpectedly passed an amendment to the Defamation bill to introduce one of Leveson's key recommendations – a simple arbitration service between newspapers and those who feel wronged.

Use of an arbitration service would be voluntary and form part of the newspaper industry's own self-regulatory system, but the amendment would allow courts to vary costs and damages depending on whether the service has been used.

MPs and ministers who do not wish to accept the Lords amendment will now have to overturn the planned legislation in the Commons.

Meanwhile, the chair of the Press Complaints Commission, Lord Hunt of Wirral, is meeting newspaper editors to decide how to respond to the recent changes to the bill.

"Other victims", St. Gerald?

No mention of your missing Daughter (Madeleine): Do you remember her? You know, the one that somehow vanished whilst you were enjoying "me" time on holiday in Portugal.

If the McCanns are FOR it, then I'm AGIN it!

The biggest problem here is that when he gets his come-uppance, he will have irreparably and irretrievably harmed the cause of the real victims.

Witness Huhne, Gerald, and weep.

Has he forgotten who contacted the press, tv stations etc., in the first place ? Top tip for you Gerry, if you don't want the press to follow you, don't ring them. Oh, and make sure your wife does not tell them about your love life, that headline put me off my weetabix.

almostgothic wrote:If the McCanns are FOR it, then I'm AGIN it!

Amen!

Don't screech: "MENTAL RAPE!" over your diary publication and then shamelessly flog the serialised book version to the same news corporation!

Hypocrites!

almostgothic wrote:Don't screech: "MENTAL RAPE!" over your diary publication and then shamelessly flog the serialised book version to the same news corporation!

Hypocrites!

One of the most jaw dropping displays of hypocrisy I've ever seen!

pennylane wrote:

almostgothic wrote:Don't screech: "MENTAL RAPE!" over your diary publication and then shamelessly flog the serialised book version to the same news corporation!

Hypocrites!

One of the most jaw dropping displays of hypocrisy I've ever seen!

Oh, I don't know. Surely there's nobody knows more about controlling the press than Mister Gerry!

"Kate and I had the misfortune to suffer from everything the press could throw at us," the doctor will tell his audience.

"The reason we subsequently agreed to the ordeal of giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry was that we don't want anyone else to have to go through what we went through.

Doesn't sound like we, includes the one who really suffers with the ordeal

Skin of Rhino's...self inflicted press intrusion at best,linking themselves with victims like the Dowlers,who through no fault of their own had the gutterness of the press thrust onto them,the McCann's have expected the world not to persecute them(they have persecuted themselves)but put the boot on the other foot & its kick first
Still find it believe the McCann's never had their phones hacked They go to the phone hacking enquiry & talk of press intrusion,which is what press do so we can read all about which bird simon cowell is courting ...where we find out the storys were subsequently verified via the release of the pj files

mossman wrote:Has he forgotten who contacted the press, tv stations etc., in the first place ? Top tip for you Gerry, if you don't want the press to follow you, don't ring them. Oh, and make sure your wife does not tell them about your love life, that headline put me off my weetabix.

I would add don't hire a professional P.R. spokesman. Wasn't it you Gerry who wanted Kate to pose for photos in a bikini? Why announce your travel plans when you visited Rome, Washington, etc?

Hypocrisy, promoting your demands now to enforce standards you do not hold yourself.

"The idea that Kate and myself, and the other victims, might have relived our darkest days in the full glare of the media for no good reason is just galling."

So the fact that the Mccanns made thousands of pounds out of the media is "no good reason", what hypocrits they are.

the comments are open on that article! who can get the most info out their 'neutrally' so it doesn't get moderated whilst encouraging new people to open their eyes!

almostgothic wrote:If the McCanns are FOR it, then I'm AGIN it!

I second that gothic what a bL**DY brass neck he has gerry

pennylane wrote:

almostgothic wrote:Don't screech: "MENTAL RAPE!" over your diary publication and then shamelessly flog the serialised book version to the same news corporation!

Hypocrites!

One of the most jaw dropping displays of hypocrisy I've ever seen!

Spot on penny, I could not beleve what I was reading

"Kate and I had the misfortune to suffer from everything the press could throw at us," the doctor will tell his audience.

"The reason we subsequently agreed to the ordeal of giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry was that we don't want anyone else to have to go through what we went through."
He fails to mention the times when he relied on the Press to print the latest "sightings".
Gerry has all the hallmarks of an MP and will probably be given a safe Labour seat before the Election, he's got more neck than a Giraffe.

Love the sneery picture......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmrA39tSQb4

Interesting video on narcissism.
There's also one on the rare cases when two narcissistic personality disorder 'sufferers' marry.

Guess what, grandiosity is a staple ingredient. What would I do when my first-born baby is stolen? Contact J.K. Rowling, Beckham, Everton Football Club, Elton John, the Pope, president of the U.S......
Gordon Brown's and the F.O.'s interference from day one only served to make the McCanns reach for ever higher goals. Ambassador sent to their front door the next day - Mitchell put at their disposal almost immediately (I don't believe the official date - 6th of May is more likely) GB jumping to it when Gerry told him to (e.g. they left a message for GB to phone them back which he did - this is far off the scale of normal protocol).
These two will never shut up, they cannot live in the C-list when they were so briefly A-list.
It will all end in tears.

Don't forget the 'Global Madeleine Day' proposed by Gerry in June 07 which would include a concert by Elton John (he must have been thrilled to have been short-listed by Gerry). This was barely a month after Maddie's disappearance.
Being an MP might actually not be enough quite the reverse ....PM?

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-02-10/gerry-mccann-we-hope-for-real-change-in-media-regulation/

Gerry McCann: 'we hope for real change' in media regulation
Last updated Sun 10 Feb 2013

Every time McCann makes one of his pronouncements I confess I tend to experience waves of nausea.

Conducted by YouGov for the Media Standards Trust, the poll also indicates an even bigger proportion – 83% – want more distance between politicians and the media, or at least greater transparency about the relationship, while another substantial majority would like immediate government action to control the press.

Ever heard from anyone who has ever been asked a question from these survey takers?
How many were surveyed 100,200...

well done to the papers printing this -- own goal -- dont bite the hand that feeds you -- they are taking on the press now -- funny really isnt it -- the press have given them what they have today -- was gonna have some breakfast but ewwww

Gerry looks as if he's chewing a wasp in that photo.

There are early photos showing the McCanns looking as if they've won the lottery. If these were their "darkest hours", goodness knows what their brightest ones are like.

It's true that the Press take on some worthy causes and been very successful, but because so many Dailies are under pressure to increase Sales, sleaze and libel are more commonplace. Add to this the number of Lawyers able to get huge amounts of compensation money for their clients and you can understand why Foreign Countries, particularly the U.S. have their cases tried here.
The Tapas 9 were able to get almost £1 million in compensation , the McCanns the Lions share, £550,000. The Press have been very keen to publish any news on the McCanns because they knew it would sell papers......not any more I think and I suspect Gerry will not have such a cosy relationship with them now that he has shown his true colours.

Did you ever read about the two creatures of the night standing under a bright street lamp, swinging their handbags, touting their wares? And then complaining bitterly that they'd been screwed?

You probably didn't - because that's just my rather blunt analogy for what's going on here.

Obviously, Clarence Mitchell isn't doing it right for Gezza.
Even Carter Ruck isn't doing it right for Gezza.
Hell no, he demands a state-controlled press!

Well if that's what he wants, he should bugger off to North Korea, or some other totalitarian hell hole - and take the rest of the McCann and Healy tribes with him.