UK: David Cameron has 'serious concerns' on press laws

London: British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday he had deep concerns about proposals by a judge-led inquiry for new laws to underpin a tougher newspaper watchdog.

In his first reaction to proposals made by senior judge Brian Leveson after eight months of hearings, Cameron said he feared that legislating the press would be "crossing the rubicon".

"I have some serious concerns and misgivings on this recommendation," Cameron told the House of Commons following the publication of Leveson's report.

"We will have crossed the rubicon of writing elements of press regulation into the law of the land... we should think very, very carefully before crossing this line."

After a year-long inquiry, Leveson recommended that new laws be introduced to underpin a tougher watchdog for newspapers, which he said had often "wreaked havoc with the lives of innocent people" with their behaviour.

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His eagerly awaited report called for an independent self-regulatory body backed by legislation.

But Cameron told parliament: "We should be wary of any legislation that has the potential to infringe free speech and the free press."

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He added: "I'm not convinced at this stage that statute is necessary to achieve Lord Justice Leveson's objectives."

Cameron said he would discuss with the other parties in parliament whether there were "alternative options" for putting the "Leveson principles of regulation" in place.

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But the prime minister stressed that he believed a regulatory system that complies with Leveson's principles should be put in place "rapidly".

"I favour giving the press a limited period of time in which to do this," he said.

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The leader of the main opposition Labour party, Ed Miliband, took issue with Cameron's analysis, saying he favoured the implementation of legislation.

"In the days and weeks ahead I will be seeking to convince him and this House of Commons that we should put our faith in the recommendations of Lord Justice Leveson," Miliband told lawmakers.

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"I am sorry the prime minister is not quite there, but I hope to convince him over the days ahead that that is where we should go."