Labour calls to curb John Whittingdale's powers after escort relationship
Labour has necessary Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to withdraw from press regulation decisions after news of his relationship using a sex worker.
Four newspapers knew around the relationship, which led to 2014, but didn't publish the storyline.
Shadow culture secretary Maria Eagle said hello had left him "vulnerable" to pressure through the press.
Mr Whittingdale, who says he previously not known the lady was a sex worker, stated it had not affected his decisions.
Downing Street said Mr Whittingdale was "a single man eligible for a private life" along the full confidence from the prime minister.
As culture secretary, Mr Whittingdale's job is always to regulate newspapers anf the husband is currently overseeing the latest regulatory framework into account in the wake from the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.
Ms Eagle said the Conservative minister should "recuse" himself from further involvement in decisions regarding the inquiry.
Analysis: BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg
Who is John Whittingdale and why does the storyplot matter?
Press regulation: What you need to know
Mr Whittingdale told BBC's Newsnight: "Between August 2013 and February 2014, I were built with a relationship with somebody who I first met through Match.com.
"She was obviously a similar age and lived near to me. At no time did she deliver any indication of her real occupation and I only discovered this when I was created aware that someone was marketing a story about me to tabloid newspapers. As soon as I discovered, I ended the connection.
"This can be an old story which would have been a bit embarrassing during the time. The events occurred before I began my present position and has now never had any relation to the decisions I have made as culture secretary."
At the time in the relationship, Mr Whittingdale was chairman in the Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee.
He was developed culture secretary in May 2015, more than a year after their bond ended. Downing Street told Newsnight it had not been aware of Mr Whittingdale's relationship before his appointment to your cabinet job.
Analysis
Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor
It's a tale which you imagine most tabloid newspapers will be licking their lips to write - and lots of people will realize its curious how they chose to refrain from doing so.
Certainly it contrasts because of their current tries to overturn the injunction barring publication of details with the celebrity couple that's been inside the news.
It's quite possible that within the new climate following the Leveson Inquiry newspapers just thought "no way am i going anywhere near this".
The accusation from Labour and Hacked Off is the reason newspapers chose not to post was to make it as a threat in the head of John Whittingdale to pressurise him against taking any more steps with all the Leveson process.
I think the irony we have found that privacy campaigners are attacking the press let's focus on, for just a moment, doing the right thing instead of publishing a tale about a man's private life.
Four newspapers - the People, part in the Mirror Group, the Mail on Sunday, from your Daily Mail group, the Sun, component of News UK, as well as the now-closed Independent - had investigated the claims but had concluded the story plot was not inside public interest, Newsnight reported.
James Cusick, an early Independent reporter who looked at the story plot for five months, said: "If she is making these decisions - decisions that will affect just how people check out newspapers, the best way newspapers behave, the way in which the BBC is in a position to be - you've got a right to find out about this man's private life and whether there will be something in it he's trying to suppress from you."
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the question for Mr Whittingdale hasn't been about his relationship, but about his role in governing the press if your newspapers had a narrative about his private life.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport since May 2015
Chairman in the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee for just a decade
Conservative MP for Maldon since 1992
Educated at Winchester College and studied economics at University College, London
Has two children, and enjoys television, films and music
Shadow culture secretary Ms Eagle accused Mr Whittingdale of changing his stance in the Leveson Inquiry, having previously supported the other stage set to look into ties between newspapers along with the police.
Earlier this season, it had been reported inside the Times that the other half can be "quietly" shelved.
The government says it's not decided if you should pursue it yet, along with a No 10 spokesman said: "We've always declared that criminal investigations and legal processes in relation to Leveson require fully concluded before we consider part two."
Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott stated it had always been her view that Mr Whittingdale's close relationship with all the Murdochs - whose company News UK publishes the Sun - made him an "unsuitable person to manage press regulation".
Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said he would not think Mr Whittingdale would recuse himself from press regulation decisions.
"There isn't any sign that which is going to happen," he told BBC Two's Daily Politics, adding that Mr Whittingdale "ought for getting on and do his job", including pressing ahead while using second stage from the Leveson Inquiry.
Media commentator and former newspaper editor Roy Greenslade said newspapers would have been wary about covering this kind of story from the aftermath in the Leveson directory press standards.
"I think it is a little much to castigate the newspapers for doing the right thing at least," he added on Newsnight.
Journalist and media commentator, Steve Hewlett, said there had not been "a single shred of evidence" that any form of direct contact, influence or attempted influence had actually happened but there remained "the question of perception".
However, Brian Cathcart, in the Hacked Off campaign group, insisted Mr Whittingdale was "compromised".
He said the newspapers "stocked up" the story plot for future use and like a way to possibly put "pressure on him".
"Lo and behold, we have seen that he has produced three vital decisions reversing government policy which work entirely from the favour on the press and, frankly, for my part at least, contrary towards the public," he added.
Labour has necessary Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to withdraw from press regulation decisions after news of his relationship using a sex worker.
Four newspapers knew around the relationship, which led to 2014, but didn't publish the storyline.
Shadow culture secretary Maria Eagle said hello had left him "vulnerable" to pressure through the press.
Mr Whittingdale, who says he previously not known the lady was a sex worker, stated it had not affected his decisions.
Downing Street said Mr Whittingdale was "a single man eligible for a private life" along the full confidence from the prime minister.
As culture secretary, Mr Whittingdale's job is always to regulate newspapers anf the husband is currently overseeing the latest regulatory framework into account in the wake from the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.
Ms Eagle said the Conservative minister should "recuse" himself from further involvement in decisions regarding the inquiry.
Analysis: BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg
Who is John Whittingdale and why does the storyplot matter?
Press regulation: What you need to know
Mr Whittingdale told BBC's Newsnight: "Between August 2013 and February 2014, I were built with a relationship with somebody who I first met through Match.com.
"She was obviously a similar age and lived near to me. At no time did she deliver any indication of her real occupation and I only discovered this when I was created aware that someone was marketing a story about me to tabloid newspapers. As soon as I discovered, I ended the connection.
"This can be an old story which would have been a bit embarrassing during the time. The events occurred before I began my present position and has now never had any relation to the decisions I have made as culture secretary."
At the time in the relationship, Mr Whittingdale was chairman in the Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee.
He was developed culture secretary in May 2015, more than a year after their bond ended. Downing Street told Newsnight it had not been aware of Mr Whittingdale's relationship before his appointment to your cabinet job.
Analysis
Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor
It's a tale which you imagine most tabloid newspapers will be licking their lips to write - and lots of people will realize its curious how they chose to refrain from doing so.
Certainly it contrasts because of their current tries to overturn the injunction barring publication of details with the celebrity couple that's been inside the news.
It's quite possible that within the new climate following the Leveson Inquiry newspapers just thought "no way am i going anywhere near this".
The accusation from Labour and Hacked Off is the reason newspapers chose not to post was to make it as a threat in the head of John Whittingdale to pressurise him against taking any more steps with all the Leveson process.
I think the irony we have found that privacy campaigners are attacking the press let's focus on, for just a moment, doing the right thing instead of publishing a tale about a man's private life.
Four newspapers - the People, part in the Mirror Group, the Mail on Sunday, from your Daily Mail group, the Sun, component of News UK, as well as the now-closed Independent - had investigated the claims but had concluded the story plot was not inside public interest, Newsnight reported.
James Cusick, an early Independent reporter who looked at the story plot for five months, said: "If she is making these decisions - decisions that will affect just how people check out newspapers, the best way newspapers behave, the way in which the BBC is in a position to be - you've got a right to find out about this man's private life and whether there will be something in it he's trying to suppress from you."
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the question for Mr Whittingdale hasn't been about his relationship, but about his role in governing the press if your newspapers had a narrative about his private life.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport since May 2015
Chairman in the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee for just a decade
Conservative MP for Maldon since 1992
Educated at Winchester College and studied economics at University College, London
Has two children, and enjoys television, films and music
Shadow culture secretary Ms Eagle accused Mr Whittingdale of changing his stance in the Leveson Inquiry, having previously supported the other stage set to look into ties between newspapers along with the police.
Earlier this season, it had been reported inside the Times that the other half can be "quietly" shelved.
The government says it's not decided if you should pursue it yet, along with a No 10 spokesman said: "We've always declared that criminal investigations and legal processes in relation to Leveson require fully concluded before we consider part two."
Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott stated it had always been her view that Mr Whittingdale's close relationship with all the Murdochs - whose company News UK publishes the Sun - made him an "unsuitable person to manage press regulation".
Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said he would not think Mr Whittingdale would recuse himself from press regulation decisions.
"There isn't any sign that which is going to happen," he told BBC Two's Daily Politics, adding that Mr Whittingdale "ought for getting on and do his job", including pressing ahead while using second stage from the Leveson Inquiry.
Media commentator and former newspaper editor Roy Greenslade said newspapers would have been wary about covering this kind of story from the aftermath in the Leveson directory press standards.
"I think it is a little much to castigate the newspapers for doing the right thing at least," he added on Newsnight.
Journalist and media commentator, Steve Hewlett, said there had not been "a single shred of evidence" that any form of direct contact, influence or attempted influence had actually happened but there remained "the question of perception".
However, Brian Cathcart, in the Hacked Off campaign group, insisted Mr Whittingdale was "compromised".
He said the newspapers "stocked up" the story plot for future use and like a way to possibly put "pressure on him".
"Lo and behold, we have seen that he has produced three vital decisions reversing government policy which work entirely from the favour on the press and, frankly, for my part at least, contrary towards the public," he added.
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