On the eve of the publication of the Leveson report which chillingly appears to be being welcomed by the political Left (no great friends of press freedom) and is likely to contain some provision for state control of newspapers, I start to hanker for this thing that the Americans have got, called the First Amendment to the Constitution.

If only we could have one of those, mind you in the UK we don’t even have a written constitution.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

How many of the people’s grievances do you think will be publicised if journalists are constantly aware of, and worried about ‘what will the Government think’.