Press watchdog's ex-chief hits back over hacking

The former head of the press watchdog passionately defended the organisation at the Leveson inquiry today.

Sir Christopher Meyer rejected almost all criticism of the Press Complaints Commission. In robust exchanges, the former ambassador to Washington told lead counsel, Robert Jay QC, that the PCC was not "an inert, inactive organisation, sitting there slackly mouths hanging open" as Fleet Street committed alleged criminality.

At Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry, Sir Christopher said the News of the World phone-hacking scandal had "very little to do with [press] self-regulation". He added: "The PCC did not always get it right but it's a service to the public and is used increasingly by the public, and its use ... pays testimony to a confidence which you seem, frankly, to ignore." He asked Mr Jay: "You will forgive me if I do push back from time to time and not sit here like a coconut?"

Mr Jay accused him of being "flamboyant" and "toeing the party line" with newspaper editors, and said it was clear he would only allow media reform "over his dead body".

Sir Christopher, who led the PCC from 2003 to 2009, likened criticism of the organisation to criticism of the police for crime or bishops for sin. At one point, Mr Meyer and Mr Jay's sparring saw both collapse in a fit of giggles.

The former watchdog warned that introducing state control of news-papers could be dangerous for freedom of expression. The inquiry, at the Royal Courts of Justice, continues.