Press muzzle ‘off’

LABOUR is set to ditch its opposition to State muzzling of the Press, the Tories claimed yesterday.

They and the Lib Dems may back Conservative proposals for a Royal Charter, which would be independent of MPs and the newspaper industry.

Crucially, it would not be enshrined in law — a key recommendation of Lord Justice Leveson’s report on Press standards.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller will today unveil details of the new body. It would oversee a watchdog being devised by the newspaper industry to replace the Press Complaints Commission. Labour and the Lib Dems had backed Leveson’s recommendation.

But a Tory source said following talks between party leaders they had dropped opposition to a Royal Charter. The source said: “It’s a solution that means no political involvement. We think the other parties are on board.”

A senior Labour source said the party was “unpersuaded”. A Lib Dem source denied a deal was done and urged the Tories to publish their plans.