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Editor speaks out ahead of Leveson appearance

The editor of The Scotsman has called for guaranteed representation for the Scottish press on whichever body replaces the Press Complaints Commission.

John McLellan, who is due to give evidence to Lord Leveson’s inquiry on press ethics tomorrow, is currently one of two Scottish representatives on the PCC, the other being lay member Esther Roberton.

Writing in The Scotsman yesterday, he predicted that the PCC will eventually be disbanded although its work would be carried on as the “complaints department” of a new, beefed-up watchdog.

He called for Scotland to retain a “strong voice” on the new body while acknowledging that serving editors such as himself were unlikely to be involved.

“The process of press reform has been moving at an even more breakneck pace behind the scenes as the new chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, former Conservative cabinet minister Lord David Hunt, prepares for his organisation’s demise and its eventual replacement with a new, beefed-up body,” he wrote.

“While the newspaper industry has yet to see the final details, the new system is likely to include just the sort of regulatory and compensation functions hinted at by Lord Leveson last week. What the public recognises as the current PCC is likely to remain in essence as the complaints department of a three-pronged service.

“Thus, current editors serving as commissioners are now an endangered species and the chances are the likes of myself, Peter Wright of the Mail on Sunday, Tina Weaver of the Sunday Mirror and Ian McGregor of the Sunday Telegraph will have no role in the day-to-day running of the system, as at present.

“While most members of the public will probably agree with this, the difficulty for Scotland is that the only way there is a guaranteed Scottish presence on the commission is through the place reserved through the Scottish Newspaper Society, and without that it is possible there could be no scrutiny of decisions affecting Scottish publishers by anyone with knowledge of our distinctive legal and political landscape.

“Currently, there are two Scots on the commission, myself and the redoubtable Esther Roberton, the former chair of NHS Fife, who is a lay commissioner. If she stands down, it is by no means certain she will be replaced by someone from north of the Border.

“The best way forward must surely be for the new organisation, whatever it is called, to have guarantees built in to ensure the nations and regions retain their input, and in the case of Scotland this could be done by maintaining the SNS right to a place.”