Nicola Sturgeon slams proposals for dangerous press gagging laws as Scottish Government confirms it won’t implement them

NICOLA Sturgeon has hit out at proposals for new press laws which would force newspapers to pay legal costs for anyone who sues them - even if the paper wins the case.

The First Minister said Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act would "threaten the viability" of local newspapers, as the Scottish Government confirmed it would not implement similar plans.

Although the laws, if implemented, will not apply to Scotland as press regulation is devolved, Ms Sturgeon said she wouldn't be following suit with similar legislation north of the border.

"I think the behaviour that led to the Leveson inquiry on the part of elements of the media was unacceptable and despicable and the media has to learn those lessons," she told the Daily Record.

"But that doesn’t take away from the vital importance in any democracy of a free and questioning media that’s is able to hold those in power robustly to account."

If enacted by the UK Government, the new proposals would force newspapers to pay both sides' legal bills if they get sued, which would put investigation journalism at risk.

Ms Sturgeon went on: "All politicians get frustrated with the media almost on a daily basis but that in itself is a sign the media is doing its job.

"I think Section 40 goes way, way too far in the wrong direction."

And today the Scottish Government's Culture Secretary said it had no plans to bring the changes north of the border.

Fiona Hyslop said the UK Government should "carefully consider" the impact of the laws on the media and democracy.

She said: "Measures consulted on by the UK Government would put at risk the viability of much of our independent media, particularly local newspapers, and pose a potential threat to freedom of the press."

Ms Hyslop added: "Any movement by the UK Government to action Section 40 must carefully consider potential threats to the health of our democratic life and to the freedom of the press."

New analysis this week showed that the proposed laws would cost the newspaper industry - which is already facing troubled times - a whopping £100 million every year.

Introducing the draconian law would hit national newspapers with a £52m annual bill and leave cash-strapped local and regional press having to find around £48m a year to fund extra legal costs, the News Media Association said.

And earlier this week a former minister to David Cameron said that the PM made a mistake with trying to enforce the first press laws in 300 years.

Ed Vaizey said he thinks newspapers can regulate themselves with a tough new watchdog.

He told The Sun: “In retrospect, Section 40 was a mistake. At the time, everybody agreed that press self-regulation needed to be strengthened."

Newspapers that are part of an state-backed regulator would be exempt from the new rules.

Most newspapers have signed up to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, the press-funded body which is not officially recognised.