Foreign states should not be allowed to own more than a 5pc stake in a newspaper even if acting as indirect or passive investors, a Tory peer has said.
Last week, a rebellion in the Lords drew a government pledge to ban foreign governments and their proxies from owning British newspapers and magazines. It was a historic moment for the defence of press freedom in the era of acquisitive, well-connected autocracies. It will have global significance. But the devil was always going to lie in the
Government to ban foreign states from buying British newspapers itv.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from itv.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The row over reported comments from Tory donor Frank Hester about Diane Abbott dominates PMQs, as Rishi Sunak faces calls to return the money he has given to the party.