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Reject ‘fake regulator,’ Dowler sister tells PM

The sister of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler has urged David Cameron to reject what she termed the “fake” press regulator IPSO.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation has been set up with the backing of most of the national and regional newspaper industry to replace the Press Complaint Commission from September.

But campaigners on behalf of the victims of phone-hacking claim it does not go far enough to prevent a repeat of the affair, which saw former News of the World editor Andy Coulson found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones.

In a video message, Milly Dowler’s sister Gemma urged the Prime Minister to “keep his promise” and implement a tougher form of press regulation.

She said:  “My message to the Prime Minister and all the party leaders is this:  This new fake regulator IPSO falls way short of Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendations and is nowhere near good enough.

“Please keep your promise to us the victims that you will deliver real and permanent change to make sure what happened to us will never happen again.”

Mr Cameron originally proposed a system of state-sponsored regulation underpinned by Royal Charter.

But after the industry pressed ahead with plans to set up IPSO, Culture Secertary Sajid Javid made clear he saw “no further role for government in this.”

Society of Editors executive director Bob Satchwell yesterday described IPSO as the “only good thing to come out of” the phone hacking affair.

“The Press will now have a new, more powerful complaints and regulatory system – the Independent Press Standards Organisation – with powers to investigate and fine newspapers if necessary,” he said.

“I trust that the public will put all of this behind them now and appreciate that the press in this country remains the best in the world.”