Live webchat with Hugh Grant (!!!) about the Leveson report and press reform, Monday 10 December, 8pm

[JustineMumsnet]

We're delighted to announce that sleb-actor-turned-campaigner Hugh Grant (yes it's Hugh ) is joining us for a webchat tonight, Monday, December 10 at 8pm.

Hugh keen to talk to us about the Leveson report and press reform. As you probably know he's been a prominent member of Hacked Off, and before that was best known for his quintessential English gent roles in movies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually.

Hacked Off is an alliance of victims of press abuse, journalists, academics, lawyers and others who successfully campaigned for a public inquiry into the phone hacking scandal.

And now that the inquiry's been held (by Lord Leveson), Hacked Off wants all Leveson's recommendations for press reform implemented.

(This webchat is focused on Leveson, so we hope you'll understand that Hugh will prioritising Qs about that ahead of Qs about his career/personal life/choice of biscuits - although, if there's time, he will do his best to address a few of those too.)

So, join us and Hugh, online at 8pm tonight. If you can't make it then, you can post up advance questions on this thread.

Rumour has it that the Daily Mail caught Ian Huntly & Maxine Carr after the police in Soham realised that Huntly was well aware of his 'rights' to resist the attempts of the Plods, so local coppers, desperate to find the girls, sent the guy from the Mail to tea at Chateau Ian. DM man bugged their coffee table. The girls were dead (had been for days) but the DM tape did for H&C anyway. Allegedly.

How do you reconcile press regulation for Bad Things and Hurt Feelings with allowing the press to break the rules in a way that delivers important social resilts? You're much too clever to suggest the police should do their job better.

Not that poor. You got sushi. Goldie Hawn only got an egg sandwich.

It is 8pm though. Maybe it was a markdown. Check for a yellow sticker and stock up on Imodium.

Good point Horatia - frugal times these.

@LadyMaryChristmas

Hello Hugh {almost faints}

Reform of the press is very badly needed, they seem to think that it's OK to snoop into the lives of others at will. Surely the human rights act (home and family life) should come into play here (not a question, just a thought)? Do you agree with the findings of the Leveson inquiry?

Would you like to come and join us for Christmas lunch? Roast goose?

I'd like to answer both your question. The second one first. Yes, please, I'm rather lonely. As for the first one about the human rights act you're absolutely right that the trick here is to balance article 10 which defends (quite rightly) our right to say what we like against the less discussed article 8 which defends a citizen's rights to a basic expectation of privacy. You tend to hear a lot less about the second one in the papers that the first.

Did you meant to be the worldwide face of the Hacking Inquiry ?

I once knew an editor of a red top and over dinner one night he told me that you could get anything through the legal department if you could find someone who would stand up in court and swear that they believed it to be true. (even if they absolutely knew it wasn't)

where on earth would you start in trying to change that kind of attitude?

Thanks for your answer. Fwiw I agree.

Hi Hugh,

If coulson or brooks are found guilty, do you think Cameron or Osborne will lose public face, or should they? I think it's very clear that both are guilty of a staggering lack of judgment especially where coulson is concerned.

Hi Hugh and welcome to MN.

I'm really struggling with all of this as I am 100% against censorship and 100% for a 100% free press.

On the other hand, a 100% free press does not mean they are allowed to break the law.

I don't really have a question, I guess. I just wanted to state that. Or something.

::Tee stops gibbering::

Ooh come to mine for XMas Hugh if you're a bit lonely - it's Yorkies and Nut Roast

@TunipTheVegedude

Thank you for coming, Hugh.

If sleazy tabloid journalists were to go through your bin, what kind of biscuit wrappers would they find in there?

They would find a lot of wrappers tomorrow because I spent all day panicking about this question. In the end, I'd have to say, it's very hard to beat a McVitie's plain chocolate digestive, but only eaten in the correct way. I like to lick all the chocolate off and then give the biscuit to the dog. There is no faster way to make a 52-year-old man look two or seven.

I think Cameron has lost public face, TheMysteryCat, it's just that 'we' can't do anything about it till 2015.

Anyone else showing such an appalling lack of judgement would have lost their job by now...

Hi Hugh,

If it were up to you, what would be the single most important piece of legislation you would put into place to protect the public right to privacy?

Hugh how can you possibly be lonely - you are at MNHQ with good company and Sushi?

I on the other hand have been living out of a suitcase for the past week and am currently picking my nail varnish off in a hotel in Lincoln.

I bet you could make it up here in time to share the little sachet of complimentary coffee. I'll even share my carton of UHT milk with you

You are 52?! Bloody hell

Pond's cold cream?

52

Do you think there is still more to come out, in particular re email hacking?

Oh God, he's with Chaos on the upside down biscuits. We'll never hear the end of this.

I can't think of a sensible question.

hi Hugh,
I'd be interested to know where Hacked Off intends to go from now and in what ways the Great British Public can support the campaign. Are there opportunities to further lobby our MPs, newspaper editors/owners etc? As a community activist myself I feel frustrated by how "David & Goliath" this all is, in spite of the obvious inherent unfairness and lack of accountability.

To those of you who asked about Motorman you're right it's an interesting and neglected part of the whole sordid business. For many years, a private investigator called Steve Whittamore blagged and bribed private data on ordinary British citizens including the families of murder victimes, including the little girls murdered at Soham. The information commissioner's report in 2006 ran a league table of the newspapers who hired Steve Whittamore most frequently, top of the list was the Daily Mail.

What if they hacked your phone again? What would you do?

@ClementineKelandra

I'm wondering just how many members of MNHQ will be working overtime tonight?

Hello lovely Hu...