SIR Alan Moses’ message was clear.
He wants the press to keep doing its job, but he’ll come down like a ton of bricks on anyone who flagrantly breaks the rules.
It was a message that was welcomed last night by senior industry figures in Southampton at the Society of Editors Conference – as we report on pages 8 and 9 – and also by this newspaper.
Sir Alan, who leads the new Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), is the man charged with the balancing act of ensuring this country benefits from a vibrant free press – but that it does not step out of line.
He brings with him the wisdom of a career in the justice system – latterly as a Court of Appeal judge.
The Daily Echo wishes him well in his role and pledges to do its utmost to have as little to do with IPSO as possible.
Campaign group Hacked Off has accused the organisation of being a “sham” but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
Whether it works lies in the hands of the industry itself.
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