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.

Hi Hugh,

If there is no follow up legislation has Leverson been a waste of public money and the victoms of unwanted press attention's time?

If I were your Dad I would not be happy about being called elderly on a forum populated in the majority by interested females

Theres one of those QS in my coat pocket! How lucky! Would you like it??

@birdofthenorth

Hi Hugh!

At one point it looked like David Cameron was willing to split up the coalition in order to defend the "freedom of the press" over effective regulation. How disappointing do you find his response? Do you think the extemities of media intrusion and manipulation uncovered by Leveson have fallen on deaf ears?

There are cynics (of course I'm not one of them) who would say that Cameron's position has less to do with freedom of the press and more to do with pleasing the press. He is in grave danger of doing what every other PM has done in the same position over the last 70 years, ie please the press barons and go for political expediency in the face of public opinion and principle.

have changed my name for you Hugh....
Do you love me now??

weevilswobble how long has it been there and has it been chewed by a small child?

@arcorvette

Hi Hugh Quick question. Are any newspapers in your opinion worth reading? Can we trust any of them?!! Thank you :)

The Brentford and Chiswick Chronicle. Avoid the others

Which is how Cameron does everything, so are we surprised?

Moi? Cynical? Yup!

Aren't the days of the power of the printed press numbered any way - which makes Cameron's stance even more staggering?

I don't know anyone who gets a paper delivered. Or really goes out of their way to buy one. Most people just glance over a copy of the utter wank Metro on the train don't they? (has anyone noticed they can barely even give them away now?) And that is people my age, the young 'uns just do their news online.

What I'm saying is all these middle aged misogynistic cock waving editors will soon be consigned to the gutter so isn't that where the future lies, in reducing the demand for the trash and lies? Consistently revealing to people what utter wankers a lot of the editors are so they do not want to be aligned or associated with reading them - i.e. create a shame culture for everyone who reads the DM, or Murdoch shite, much as they do about many things themselves.

But don't you think that's a bit twattish of Scameron ?

Once the press realise that the public will vote him out at the next GE, the very press he courts will do all it can to blacken him...not that it will need much help.

Hmm I live in Southend?? :)

Coronation street or Eastenders?

May I highlight mcmooncup's earlier question? ^^ I'd love to hear your answer on that one...

Hugh have you ever been to Lincoln?

Tee not cynical, you're just observant.

And the press also do their own pleasing. in return. Their demonisation of benefit claimants and the disabled makes it easier for him to push his Welfare Reform Bill because after all "they are all scroungers and fraudsters" Cameron IDS and co dont want to change a thing.

I'm sure I saw you skiing in courchevel one year. Are you coming again this year. I have a nice chalet, come round for hot chocolate.

@HughGrant

[quote arcorvette] Hi Hugh Quick question. Are any newspapers in your opinion worth reading? Can we trust any of them?!! Thank you :)

The Brentford and Chiswick Chronicle. Avoid the others[/quote]

No, serious answer. Clearly, there are great newspapers in this country (The Guardian, The Independent, FT) and there is great journalism in all the others. Our argument is that there simply isn't enough, and that to a certain extent our whole newspaper industry has been hijacked over the last 40 years by powerful media barons with an agenda quite different to good public interest journalism. We'd like to get it back out of their hands.

"Aren't the days of the power of the printed press numbered any way...?"

mcmooncup when I first started studying graphic design 25 years ago, I was told to ignore print as it was dead. Doesn't look very dead yet, does it? Plenty of people still buy the newspaper every day.

Teelfonshelf. Its been there for 2 years.

@MrsChristmasVamos

Signed petition. I'm a good girl, Hugh.

Now please, please, please can I have a kiss ?

THANK YOU...now if everyone else could sign our petition we might actually stand a chance of reaching a quarter of a million signatures by Christmas.

The government changed it's mind about the badger cull at 160,000 - we are nearly at the same figure and we haven't had a whiff of a U-turn...we need your help.

Evening Hugh,

Did the unwanted media attention that your daughter and her mother received influence your decision to become the 'poster boy' for this cause (no offence meant).

Your life has never been entirely private, but did becoming a parent increase your concerns ?

Thanks.

Hi Hugh

Whilst fully supportive of Hacked off, my question is...
Should I be concerned that whilst reading your answers I am hearing your 'love actually' voice over voice?!

So basically you want Rupert Murdoch to eff the eff off and when he gets there eff off some more ?

Honey observantly cynical?

weevilswobble