Lord Leveson’s legacy could be the death of investigative journalism

Later this year, or more probably in the spring of 2016, the following scene may play out on the steps of the High Court in London. An editor will appear before the cameras and say: ‘I am instructing my reporters stop investigative journalism until the law is changed.’

The naïve who have failed to educate themselves on the assault on press freedom in Britain will be more confused than outraged. How can this be, they will ask. They will be enlightened by the editor of – well, let’s say it’s my editor here at The Spectator, but it could just as easily be the editor of the Guardian, Observer, Private Eye or any other national or local newspaper or magazine.

The court had vindicated the paper, he or she will explain. The judge ruled that its account of the MP stealing public money or the Russian oligarch buying influence was true. At great trouble and expense, the paper had produced journalism in the public interest, and then took more trouble and expense to defend its journalism in court.