Number 10 distancing itself from Law Commission’s secrecy proposals

There has been an understandable, and justified, outcry about the Law Commission’s proposed changes to secrecy legislation. The current proposals present a serious threat to investigative journalism and whistle blowers.

But Theresa May’s Number 10 is very keen to point out that this review was something commissioned not by them, but by David Cameron’s Number 10. ‘This is a consultation by an independent body instigated by the previous Prime Minister’ is how one May aide describes it—which is a clear attempt to distance the current Prime Minister from this whole business. I am told that it is highly unlikely that the proposals will be implemented in their current form.

Now, obviously, the proof of all this will come when the government formally responds to these proposals. If the government endorses the Law Commission’s direction of travel it will be extremely worrying—and a real threat to press freedom. But the government, which now knows how deep concern about this issue goes, has the opportunity to chart a more sensible course.