Born 1957. Journalist and author and former press secretary to Tony Blair as Leader of the Opposition (1994-97) and as Prime minister (1997-2000). From 2000-2003, he was director of communications for the Labour Party (2000-03). Before 1994, he had been political editor of Today newspaper and the Daily Mirror. Campbell gave detailed testimony on the political media and what he saw as the decline of genuine investigative journalism and the increasing tendency of owners, editors and senior journalists to wish to be political players. Embellishment and pure invention were tolerated and encouraged by some editors and owners, he said.
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.
Former editor of The Daily Express Newspaper, prior to which he worked at Manchester Evening News, the Oldham Evening Chronicle, The Mirror and the Daily Star, which he edited till his move to the Daily Express in 2003 and continued to do so until 2011.
Journalist. At the time of the Inquiry, Lawton was Chief Crime Correspondent of the Daily Star in London. Previously worked for Grimsby Evening Telegraph and Humberside Newsline before joining the Daily Star in 1995. He was asked about relations between crime correspondents and the Metropolitan Police.
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.
Editor of the Daily Star since 2003 at the time of giving evidence. Neesom worked on Woman’s Own, before joining The Sun as feature writer and later features editor. Told the Inquiry that in 2011 the paper had withdrawn from the PCC believing that the body had ceased trying to resolve disputes and its decisions had become more political. The paper would not use material that it believed to be illegally sourced, she said.
Award-winning writer, director and producer who has written for Daily Star, Guardian, Netflix, Channel 4, Amazon, the BBC and others. Gave evidence about working for the Daily Star, and of the pressure to write contrived stories to please the editor. He told the Inquiry that there was a maxim at the paper that some stories were "too good to check". Peppiatt wrote an open letter to Richard Desmond when resigning from the Daily Star, accusing the paper of demonising Muslims, supporting the English Defence League (EDL), fabricating stories, ignoring foreign news and paying low wages to staff. A campaign of vilification against him followed, he told the Inquiry.
At the time of the Inquiry, Greener had been the Daily Star's Picture Editor for 9 years, having been at the paper for more than 20. Told the Inquiry that he tried to ensure that all pictures used were taken ethically and honestly. Was asked specifically about pictures of Hugh Grant's baby and said he was content that the pictures had been taken in a public place and not in a context that could be deemed private. Star photographers abided by a strict moral and ethical code, he said.
Crime reporter of the Daily Star Sunday at the time of giving evidence, having previously worked as a journalist in Cheshire and Liverpool. Said that he had little experience of working with the Metropolitan Police but had enjoyed occasional drinks and on one occasion a longer chat. His contacts were more generally formal, via press conferences, he said. He also answered questions on off-the-record briefings.
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.
Freelance Writer and former sub-editor of the Daily Star, until 2016. Taylor-Whiffen has written for an extensive client list including national broadsheet and tabloid newspapers, magazines, major broadcasters, FTSE 100 organisations, the world's leading universities and Britain's primary charities.
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.
