Miller hopeful of deal on Leveson (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Miller hopeful of deal on Leveson

7:18pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in National News © Press Association 2013

Culture Secretary Maria Miller has expressed hope that a cross-party deal on press regulation could still be struck ahead of a crunch Commons vote.

MPs are due to decide on Monday on the shape of a new watchdog system to meet the demands of the Leveson Report into phone-hacking and other abuses.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have joined forces to propose a regulator set up by royal charter and underpinned by legislation. The Conservatives also propose a royal charter but Mrs Miller said any move to back it in statute could have a "chilling effect" on free speech.

But with Prime Minister David Cameron facing likely defeat in the Commons after pulling the plug on cross-party talks, there were signs he could yet compromise.

"I hope that the discussions that we have over the next 24 hours can really make sure that we can come together and have a real solution here," Mrs Miller said. "We can have tough self-regulation of the press with million pound fines, prominent apologies, without having the potentially chilling effect that statutory underpinning would bring."

She spoke after Chancellor George Osborne also indicated a desire for agreement, telling the BBC: "There is still an opportunity for us to get together and get a press law that works."

Political disagreement over the solution was a recipe for regulation that would not last or become "deeply-rooted in our culture", he said. Mr Cameron - who has said he will stand by the vote - on Saturday said he did not consider the Lib/Lab proposed statutory underpinning "a big issue of principle".

Labour said it had not had any approach for fresh talks, however, and would remain "resolute" in pushing for tough controls tomorrow to protect victims of press intrusion. Shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman said the party had "always said we would like to reach agreement" which could be brought to the Commons as a united position.

With up to 20 Tories reportedly ready to back the Lib/Lab pact, allies of Mr Cameron accept he will be hard-pressed to win the Commons vote despite intense efforts to shore up support. Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Fowler encouraged the party's MPs to rebel as the Lib/Lab plan "comes closest to implementing Lord Justice Leveson's careful and objective report".

Mr Cameron insists he is acting as "a friend of the victims" of phone hacking, but one of them, author JK Rowling, said they had been "hung out to dry" by the Prime Minister. She said: "I am merely one among many turning their eyes towards Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg and hoping they have the courage to do what Cameron promised, but which he failed to deliver."