Civil servants are busily finalising advice for ministers on how to handle the rival royal charter drawn up by the press barons (the PressBoF charter). This is the document which was inserted into the process in a doomed attempt to wreck implementation of the cross-party royal charter, the vehicle chosen by David Cameron to deliver Lord Justice Leveson's package of reforms.

The cross-party charter is the one designed to implement the Leveson recommendations on press regulation in full. It was agreed by all political parties and overwhelmingly endorsed by Parliament. It is supported by the victims of press abuse and backed by the vast majority of the public in successive polls. The Commons resolution on this "real" royal charter endorsed the Prime Minister's intention to submit it for the next stage of its journey - signing at Privy Council - in May.

That timetable has now been delayed as a result of the cynical tactical manoeuvring of PressBoF, which submitted its own draft royal charter as a desperate last throw of the dice.

Although the PressBoF charter was a delaying tactic, the Government took a cautious approach – in respect of "due process" - and put it out to a form of public consultation.

During the consultation on the PressBoF charter, nearly 20,000 members of the public sent in letters of objection in response to Hacked Off's appeal for action, and the appeal by Kate and Gerry McCann. We hope that all of those voices – and those of victims of press abuses, who made their own submissions - will be heard loud and clear in Westminster. The official advice is expected to land on ministers’ desks in about a week's time.

The PressBoF royal charter was put forward by a clique of people at the top of three media corporations. It does not come close to meeting the criteria for a royal charter, and fails to observe even the most basic formalities. Not only is it a recipe for another PCC – mock self-regulation under the control of a small clique – but it is, as Hacked Off’s own submission shows, nothing better than a wrecking operation.

Meanwhile, Hacked Off is preparing for the next battle. Further delaying tactics from the old regime of newspaper proprietors are inevitable. But it is clear that the politicians are determined to face them down.

Asked in a parliamentary question whether any renegotiation on the real royal charter was possible, DCMS Minister Ed Vaizey said last week:“The cross-party agreement on a Royal Charter on 18 March will help deliver a new system of independent and robust press regulation in our country that will deliver for victims and meet the principles set out in Lord Justice Leveson's report. Cross-party discussions on the draft charter have not been reopened.”

Hacked Off will continue to campaign on behalf of the victims to make sure that this steely ministerial resolve does not bend over the next few months.