London - The British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, yesterday promised that a new human rights bill would not curb the country's press by introducing the concept of a right to privacy.
Mr Straw was introducing the second reading of a bill incorporating into British law the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.
One of the convention's key clauses says: "Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence."
Newspapers expressed fears that this could lead to judges creating a back-door privacy law in Britain. However, Mr Straw told the House of Commons he had reached a compromise understanding with Lord Wakeham, chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, which would safeguard press interests.