Keir Starmer has confirmed that his government does not intend to revive the second part of the Leveson inquiry into the British newspaper industry.

He stated that other issues would take precedence, as outlined in the government’s manifesto.

Both Labour and News UK have declined to comment on claims of a pre-election understanding to avoid the inquiry.

Hacked Off, a campaign group for tougher press regulation, criticized Starmer for not committing to the unfinished inquiry.

The first part of the inquiry into press ethics took place over a decade ago following the phone-hacking scandal, but the second part, meant to examine the relationship between media and the police, was canceled in 2018.

Newspaper lobby groups argue that the media landscape has significantly changed since then, with profits and audiences collapsing.

The Duke of Sussex has also brought attention back to these issues by joining various phone-hacking legal actions.