Meddling House of Lords votes to put new curbs on press freedom by holding a second Leveson inquiry
Last week the House of Commons narrowly defeated plans for a second Leveson inquiry
MEDDLING Lords tonight backed new curbs on press freedom as they voted for a re-run of the Leveson inquiry.
Peers voted to force the Government to hold a new probe into the media's behaviour - even though the Commons opposed a second inquiry just last week.
MPs will now have to vote once more on the amendment to the Data Protection Bill - with a new vote in the Commons likely to come as early as tomorrow.
The Lords vote sets up a constitutional crisis as the unelected peers seek to overturn the Tories' manifesto promise not to set up a new investigation into the press.
The vote will prompt fresh calls for the body to be abolished altogether and replaced with a second elected chamber.
Culture Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I'm disappointed that the House of Lords have again voted against press freedoms.
"In the Commons we proposed forward-looking action to ensure a free, fair and responsible press. The Lords' amendment is unnecessary and we will seek to overturn it."
The motion passed by the Lords today - by 252 votes to 213 - is almost identical to an amendment proposed by Ed Miliband and narrowly defeated in the Commons last week.
Anti-press campaigners believe they can convince a handful more MPs to back "Leveson 2" - which could tip the balance against the Government.
In tonight's vote, dozens of Labour, Lib Dem and crossbench peers were backed by three Tory rebels - former party chairman Baroness Warsi, ex-Chief Whip Lord Blencathra and the Earl of Attlee.
The result came despite one senior peer warning colleagues not to "muzzle free expression" by imposing curbs on the press.
Speaking during the debate this afternoon, ex-minister Lord Hunt - who previously chaired the independent press watchdog - slammed the plans for a second Leveson probe.
He told peers: "It would be an analogue inquiry in an increasingly digital age.
"It would also, rightly in my view, be seen as yet another attempt by politicians to meddle in the internal affairs of the news media and ultimately to muzzle free expression.
"What message are we going to send out - that the free media are the enemies of the state?"
Former BBC and ITV chairman Lord Grade added: "I suspect what lies behind this amendment is yet another attempt to exercise some statutory controls or levers over our free media."
And Lady Cavendish, a former adviser to David Cameron, warned peers not to take "revenge" on the press for investigating their affairs.
Speaking in support of the amendment, Lady Hollins said: "The promises to the victims of press abuse still hold. This Government is breaking those promises.
"What is the role of this House if not to ensure that the Government acts with honour and integrity and is held to its word?"
Earlier, top Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg said this plan to force another vote by MPs on the same issue when the bill comes back to the chamber was “outrageous” and against the British constitution.
Speaking to LBC he said Mr Miliband’s plan was “deeply disgraceful”, and would be “essentially creating double jeopardy for journalists”.
The Conservative backbencher said re-opening Leveson would see reporters who were put on trial for alleged offences and cleared by juries investigated all over again.
He said: “Why should they go back in front of a judge to be quizzed again on what they’ve been cleared of?”
Slamming Mr Miliband for pursuing a vendetta based upon negative media coverage when he was the opposition boss, he added, “I think it’s outrageous, it’s again the British constitution, and frankly it’s all about eating bacon sandwiches sand looking silly in the papers
“The self-interest of it is beneath Mr Miliband’s dignity, who actually I think is rather able British political figure.”
He also ridiculed the House of Lords for their “magical wisdom” in putting their vested interests above the British people, elsewhere in the interview.
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Mr Rees-Mogg said peers were trying to humiliate the Government by tying the UK to the EU customs union, taking aim at the "arrogance and condescension" of the upper chamber.
He said: "When you listen to the speeches in the Lords, some of them are quite hysterically anti-Brexit.”
And he added: "What makes the Lord think they know better. What is the superior mystical wisdom that gives them a greater insight than the British people?”