London mayor Boris Johnson said it is time for the war between the media and politicians to end ahead of the publication of the Leveson report today.
The 2,000-page document is due to be unveiled at 1.30pm, with the judge widely expected to suggest a new newspaper regulator underpinned by law.
The report into press standards will be published amid fears its recommendations could throw the British government into turmoil.
Mr Johnson said he “hopes and prays” the government will not back statutory control of the press.
In a statement to the Sun, he said: “Today Lord Justice Leveson will be under huge pressure to propose some form of statutory control of the press.
“I hope and pray that the government will not take that step backwards. “It is one of the glories of this county that we have a free, exuberant and sometimes feral media.
“They keep public life far cleaner than many other places in the world - and that makes this country a wonderful place to live and invest in.”
He added that politicians were “spoiling for a chance” to hit back at the media following the exposure of the expenses scandal during which many politicians felt “unfairly” treated.
He said the revelation of phone hacking was “payback time” but it was time to end the feud.
Journalists are being prosecuted for their alleged criminal behaviour just as politicians went to prison for their expenses abuse, he added.
PA