At the time of the Inquiry, Ashford was Editorial Director of Northern & Shell, then the parent company of the Daily and Sunday Express, OK! magazine and a variety of other periodicals. He was requested to explain the circumstances of that company's withdrawal from the PCC. He said that "hurtful" attacks from other PCC members made N&S reluctant to participate, fearing that the PCC would not have the group's best interests at heart. Ashford also gave evidence regarding the Daily Express's close following of the Madeleine McCann story and comments made by Sir Christopher Meyer, then Chairman of PCC, about Peter Hill, editor at that time.
Writer and editor of UK edition of the worldwide celebrity gossip magazine, OK!. Gave evidence along with Hello! and Heat editors. She told the Inquiry that OK! was a celebrity-friendly magazine and that it was therefore in its own interests to treat celebrities with respect.
At the time of giving evidence, Desmond was the owner of Express Newspapers and founder of Northern & Shell, which also published celebrity magazines such as OK! and New!. Desmond gave examples of how the group dealt with moral and ethical questions. He cited his decision not to run a false story about the parentage of a member of the Royal family. Desmond told the Inquiry he was not familiar with the Editors' Code of Practice and considered it something as a proprietor he did not need to know about. All editorial decisions were left to the Express's editors, he said, including the paper's decision to stop backing Tony Blair and return to backing the Conservative Party.
A consultant cardiologist from Leicestershire whose daughter Madeleine, aged three, disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal in May 2007. Dr McCann, his wife Kate and their holiday companions were the subject of multiple libels in national newspapers, for some of which they sued and received damages.
A Leicestershire doctor whose daughter Madeleine, aged three, disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal in May 2007. Dr McCann, her husband Gerry and their holiday companions were the subject of multiple libels in national newspapers, for some of which they sued and received damages.
Photographer and Daily Star picture editor at the time of the Inquiry. Has also worked with Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday, Daily Express, and OK! magazine. Subsequently worked on a freelance basis with Daily Mirror after founding independent media publishing company Hungrydog Media. Labrum gave his views on ethics of photographing celebrities and their children.
Editor of the Sunday Express at time of giving evidence. Described corporate governance and editorial procedures. Had previously worked as showbusiness editor of the Mail on Sunday's You magazine and as editor of OK!. He stated that he had never been involved in, or knew of, any "computer hacking" in the organisation.
Daily newspaper in the UK, first published as a broadsheet in 1900. Acquired by Richard Desmond in 2000. Hugh Whittow was appointed editor in 2011. He told the Inquiry that “ethics play a big role in the Daily Express” and all journalists adhered to the Editors Code of Practice. He admitted to some misleading statistics about the EU and a fabricated story about the banning of salt.
British publishing group founded in 1974 and owned by Richard Desmond. At the time of the Inquiry, it published the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday newspapers, and the magazines OK!, New! and Star.
