IT never ceases to amaze me over the years that past and present governments have gone around the world to encourage freedom for the people and a free press, yet because of some of the elite in this country, this government wants to shackle and silence the free press here unless they accept the state-approved regulations for which, in turn, would be open to abuse by many MPs and others.

We know that a few journalists were out of line with the phone hacking.

They paid the price for that so let us leave that in the past and focus on keeping the press free of outside interference.

How can justice be done in any court where a case is taken by the press or others, national or local, win or lose, and the incurred costs by both sides would have to be paid by the newspaper?

It appears to me there are many wrong-doers out there, no doubt yet to be discovered – who is going to expose them?

If the government has its way, the only choice newspapers will have is Hobson’s Choice.

Just ask yourselves, whom do you trust to expose all the failings inside or outside parliament? Of course, it’s the media.

If this Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act is imposed, it will be a retrograde step for the freedom of the press and our democratic right to know what’s going on.

I want a free, unshackled press.

It’s the only protection we have to find facts that others seek to hide.

MIKE HUNTLEY

Reuben Drive, Hamworthy

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