Miliband To Say That Powerful Must Not Be 'Untouchable'

Miliband To Say That Powerful Must Not Be 'Untouchable'

PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Ed Miliband is set to blame the phone hacking scandal on a culture of "irresponsibility" that also led to the banking crisis and MPs' abuse of their expenses.

The Labour leader will say that all three episodes were caused by some of the most powerful people in society thinking they were "untouchable" and could act as they pleased.

In a speech at KPMG in central London, Mr Miliband will also call for a change to the media ownership laws, saying that the size of Rupert Murdoch's empire is "not healthy".

He will say that common themes connected the scandals of the banks, MPs and now the press with the News of the World phone hacking allegations.

"All are about the irresponsibility of the powerful. People who believed they were untouchable," he will say. "My argument is that throughout our society we need a new culture, rules and structure, which encourages people to act with responsibility. We need to address this responsibility deficit we see in our society."

He will say that Mr Murdoch's power in the British media is part of the problem and that Labour will submit proposals for a change to ownership rules to the forthcoming judge-led inquiry into the affair.

"Down the ages, it is large concentrations of power that lead to abuses of power and neglect of responsibility. In the banks, they were too big to fail. And the same is true in our media," Mr Miliband will say.

"News Corporation owned nearly 40% of the newspaper market. It owns 80% of the pay TV market through the Sky platform, and Sky News. I do not think that is healthy for our country. It is not healthy for consumers, who see choice constrained.

"It is not healthy for our democracy, where we see too much power in one set of hands. It is not healthy for a country that believes in responsibility all the way to the top of society."

Mr Miliband, who has won praise for his leadership on the phone hacking scandal, will say that he is determined to ensure that the revelations of recent weeks result in "the lasting change that is necessary for the sake of the Dowlers and the millions of decent people in this country".

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