Leveson Inquiry: Political headaches over agreement

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  • Author, Nick Robinson
  • Role, Political editor

It's 2,000 pages, needs a box to carry it around in and covers much more than simply recommending a new way to regulate Britain's newspapers.

No wonder the Coalition has yet to agree how to respond to the Leveson Report.

After last night's talks between David Cameron and Nick Clegg a wider group of ministers will meet this morning to try to agree the government's response.

Calls for all-party talks may reflect the fact that agreement may yet prove impossible.

The deputy prime minister has taken the unprecedented step of seeking the Speaker's permission to speak after the prime minister in the Commons today on behalf not of the government but as party leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Lord Justice Leveson has, I'm told, come up with a recommendation and not a series of options for press regulation.

He has also given his verdict on the behaviour of the press, politicians and the police in failing to uncover and tackle phone hacking; the handling of News Corp's bid for BSkyB and wider issues of relations between those in positions of power.

This is not an issue that is likely to grip many down the "Dog and Duck" tonight but it is one of huge constitutional significance and which is causing politicians real headaches.

This looks unlikely to be the day when a question ducked for decades will be quickly or simply resolved.