Press Release

26th March 2015

The decision by IPSO to exonerate the Sunday Mirror for their sting on Brooks Newmark MP is unsurprising. The process of the so-called investigation itself has demonstrated the impotence of IPSO.IPSOs rules prevented it from adjudicating on the matter because Mark Pritchard MP withdrew his complaint after the Sunday Mirror made a donation and Newmark chose not to complain. The so-called “independent” regulator could only start its subsequent quasi-investigation once it had negotiated limited permission from the Sunday Mirror.IPSO also had no power to get the information it needed from the Sunday Mirror to properly investigate the alleged use of subterfuge. Under IPSO’s own rules, the Sunday Mirror only had to provide information voluntarily – there was no requirement to hand over material that might incriminate themselves.Again, under its rules, IPSO was prevented from speaking to the freelance journalist who instigated the sting. The Sunday Mirror’s excuse for not handing over the information - “confidentiality” - was spurious because IPSO had their own rules which would have respected the confidentiality. IPSO could not persuade the Sunday Mirror, and the Sunday Mirror was not required to comply.IPSO had no power to formally investigate; no power to adjudicate because their own rules don’t let them (unless Brooks Newmark himself complains); and no power to act if they had found against the Sunday Mirror. This was not an adjudication - the Sunday Mirror has reminded them that under their own rules they have no power to adjudicate.What we have is a no-man’s land of an informal investigation without any teeth or relevance. It also choose not to investigate the use of pictures of members of the public without their permission, despite their own public expressions of concern.IPSO has been left looking for a role and for relevance. Their attempt to show that they have a purpose and power has merely highlighted that in reality they don’t.ENDS