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Weekly cleared of privacy complaint by MP’s former partner

Carole DennettThe press watchdog has rejected claims by the former partner of a Tory MP that a weekly newspaper breached her privacy.

Carole Dennett, left, complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) over a series of stories and comment pieces published in the Isle of Wight County Press last year.

Ms Dennett, the former partner of the island’s MP Andrew Turner, accused the paper of inaccuracy, harassment and breach of privacy over the articles, which focused mainly on her role as his parliamentary assistant.

The couple, who were in a relationship for 23 years, split in December 2014 but Ms Dennett continues to work in Mr Turner’s office.

Ms Dennett claimed the paper breached Clauses 1 (Accuracy), 3 (Privacy) and 4 (Harassment) of the Editors’ Code of Practice in a series of articles published in between April and July 2015.

She said that she had found the press coverage during her relationship with Mr Turner to be intrusive, and had hoped that it would end once they had separated.

The complainant considered the continued publication of articles which referred to her to be an intrusion into her private life.

While acknowledging that she still worked in Mr Turner’s office as a parliamentary assistant – a role which she also had while they were in a relationship – she did not believe that this justified the publication of information which she considered to be private.

In its ruling, IPSO said that the stories carried by the paper covered matters of “significant public interest” and constituted “legitimate comment.”

It said that that the paper had merely pointed out that there was some confusion about the role Ms Dennett was playing in Mr Turner’s office, and that she should provide more information about her role there.

County Press editor Alan Marriott said, “I am pleased IPSO has cleared us of any wrongdoing.

“It is the job of a local newspaper to hold those in authority to account and that is all we sought to do.

“It is absolutely vital we are allowed to do our job. If trained journalists are not allowed to ask these questions then who is?

“We never intended to cause any personal distress to Ms Dennett.”

The ruling can be read in full here.