Journalists should be allowed to refuse unethical instructions from editors without losing their jobs.

The National Union of Journalists is urging MPs to back its proposal which is being made as part of a submission to the Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, currently carrying out an inquiry into press standards, privacy and libel.

The NUJ’s submission says a ‘conscience clause’ would “allow reporters who feel they are being pressured to produce material that is not supported by evidence, or whose reporting is being stretched beyond credulity in its presentation, to refuse that assignment”.

It adds: “We believe that journalists are responsible for their work and are therefore entitled legally to refuse instructions they consider unethical.”

The clause would protect journalists by giving them a case for unfair dismissal if they were sacked for refusing instructions.

The union says it has tried to persuade the Press Complaints Commission to adopt a conscience clause in journalists’ contracts which would permit them to decline work they consider in breach of the NUJ’s own code of conduct.

The Union claims the PCC has refused proposals to discuss the idea but says the Commission insists journalists should have the PCC’s own Code of Practice incorporated into their employment contracts.

This would mean reporters will be liable to discipline or dismissal over their work but cannot resist instructions from their superiors to work unethically.

The NUJ’s submission to the committee also calls for the PCC to be able to fine newspapers for breaches of its Code of Practice.

It says: “The PCC adjudicates very few cases each year.

“To fine in those cases would rarely lead to more than five cases a year on present statistics, but since these would be the worst cases and ones where the PCC would have decided the newspaper had deliberately or recklessly breached the code, the fine would send out a message that the PCC has teeth and would be prepared to bite.”

The PCC declined to comment on the NUJ’s suggestion for a conscience clause and said having the Code of Practice built into contracts was done voluntarily but was widespread throughout the industry.

A spokeswoman added: “Our position on fines remains the same: We believe the current system of publishing critical adjudications to be far more powerful than any monetary system would be.”