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Peers yesterday abandoned their attempt to force a new public inquiry into the media industry, following weeks of parliamentary ping-ping between the two houses of parliament.

Opposition politicians forced the government to make a number of concessions, while the Conservatives only won several close votes thanks to the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party.

However, press regulation supporters are now pinning their hopes on one final tactic: a judicial review of culture secretary Matt Hancock’s decision to cancel the second part of the original Leveson inquiry.

Press regulation campaigners argue his decision to cancel an already-announced public inquiry was irrational, unfair, and that the open consultation on dropping the second part of Leveson was undermined by the Conservatives’ election manifesto commitment to do exactly that.