Leveson Inquiry: Labour demands part two goes ahead

Lord Justice Leveson published the findings of the first part of his inquiry in November 2012

Labour is demanding the second stage of the Leveson Inquiry goes ahead.

The first part of the inquiry, in 2011-2012, examined press ethics, but hearings into ties between newspapers and the police were put on hold amid criminal inquiries over phone hacking.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has written to ministers following reports the second part has been shelved.

Downing Street said no decision had yet been taken about whether to continue with the inquiry.

Labour is holding a select committee-style hearing at Westminster later to hear evidence from a number of campaigners, including the family of private detective Daniel Morgan, who was investigating police corruption before his murder in 1987.

The cases of the so-called Shrewsbury 24, a group of pickets who were charged with various offences after a national building workers' strike in 1972, and the clashes between striking miners and police at Orgreave, South Yorkshire, in 1984 will also be examined.

'Crucial'

Mr Burnham said answers were still required over the "unhealthy closeness" between police and journalists in the past.

"The second stage of the Leveson Inquiry is crucial," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"It needs to set out a much better relationship between the police and the press... to protect victims going forward to give them the justice they deserve."

He added: "We need to be sure going forward that victims of injustice cannot be treated in this way again when a version of events is perpetrated through the press sometimes that sets back their campaign to get to the truth.

"Many of these people are still fighting for the truth all these years on."

In a statement, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The government has been clear that a decision on whether to undertake part two of the Leveson Inquiry will not take place until after all criminal investigations and trials related to part one are concluded. They are still ongoing."