Press Regulation: Politicians 'Reach' A Deal

Politicians have reached a deal on plans to regulate the press, Labour's Deputy Leader Harriet Harman has told Sky News.

However, a Downing Street source insisted cross-party agreement was "very close" but there would be further talks this morning.

The Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats are understood to have held talks for more than five hours.

David Cameron - faced with a possible defeat in a House of Commons vote on the issue - was not present but was represented by Oliver Letwin, who has been the key figure for the party in recent negotiations.

The eleventh-hour talks came after Culture Secretary Maria Miller hinted at a "Labour climb-down", claiming Ed Miliband's party was now "much closer" to the Tories' position.

But Labour claimed the deal would be based on their plans for a Royal Charter underpinned by law.

Mr Cameron has been clear that he is very uncomfortable with the idea of setting anything down in law because it could be seen as politicians meddling with the press.

However, it is understood a compromise has been reached to include three lines of Statute - a clause in the legislation to ensure that the Royal Charter can not be amended in the future without two-thirds majorities in both Houses of Parliament.

There will be no industry veto of who sits on the regulator, and there will be a specific rule to ensure apologies are proportionate.

A senior Labour source told PA the party was in "lock-step" with the Lib Dems, adding: "We are clear we are not going to accept their Royal Charter. Any agreement must be on the basis of our Royal Charter."

Mr Cameron, who last week pulled out of talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations, previously warned that legislation would endanger press freedom.

Labour leader Ed Miliband, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman attended the talks.

An agreement is not yet thought to have been signed, although Labour said it expects details to be announced in the Commons later.

Actor Hugh Grant, who is leading the Hacked Off campaign for tighter controls in the wake of the hacking scandal, accused the Prime Minister of turning his back on victims of press intrusion.

"For him, politically, it was more important to suck up to the newspapers than to fulfil the promise that he made under oath," he told Sky News.

"(He said) that what mattered as an outcome to all this was that those victims should never be subject to those kind of abuses again."

Harry Potter author JK Rowling also spoke out, saying Mr Cameron's actions had left her feeling "hung out to dry".

"Monday's vote will make history one way or another," she said.

"I am merely one among many turning their eyes towards Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg and hoping that they have the courage to do what Mr Cameron promised, but which he failed to deliver."

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