Lord Puttnam's warnings were echoed by, among others, Tory ex-cabinet minister and former Midland Independent Newspapers chairman Lord Fowler, former BBC director-general crossbencher Lord Birt, and two former Guardian Media Group chairmen, Labour peers Lord Myners and Lord Gavron.

BBC: Peers welcome Ofcom probe of News Corp's BSkyB bid

Some broadsheet editors, such as Andrew Marr of the Independent and Alan Rusbridger of the Guardian, accept the Lord Chancellor's argument that press freedom would be better protected by carefully considered parliamentary legislation rather than by random court decisions.

ECONOMIST: Privacy

In an interview with the Guardian, Sir Malcolm accused Lord Lawson of wanting to place Britain in the "humiliating" position of being subject to EU rules but having no say in how they are made.

BBC: EU referendum row: Tory rebels could get free vote

They're looking at the plans to reform the Head of the Civil Service with uber commentators professor Lord Hennessy and Peter Riddell, plus journalistic luminaries David Walker of the Guardian and Sue Cameron of the FT.

BBC: Viewing guide: The pick of the week ahead in Parliament

In a separate interview in the Guardian, David Miliband said he discussed his decision about whether to resign with Lord Mandelson.

BBC: Mandelson warns PM of more plots

Last year, the Metropolitan Police chose not to launch an investigation into claims, made by the Guardian newspaper, that a host of public figures - including former deputy PM Lord Prescott - had had their messages hacked by journalists there.

BBC: Coulson 'has no case to answer' over phone hack claims