Respecting the Code
Sir: Told, writing from Gstaad about media coverage of the Princess of Wales (High life, 31 August), invents a statement about the paparazzi that I have never made.
I suspect his confusion arises from an unexceptionable remark (not aimed at any individual) I made last year, that those who seek publicity for themselves cannot always subsequently expect in return the same right to privacy to which those who do not are entitled.
That has nothing to do with the behaviour of the so-called paparazzi. As far as they are concerned, the newspaper industry's own Code of Practice places a clear commitment on editors to satisfy themselves that material — including pho- tographs — accepted from non-staff mem- bers was obtained in accordance with the Code and in particular its strict provisions on intrusion into privacy and on harass- ment.
The Commission scrutinises any com- plaints it receives on such issues calmly and consistently in line with the Code of Prac- tice — and will continue to come down hard on any editor who steps outside it.
Taki is therefore entirely wrong to sug- gest that I have given anybody a 'charter to haunt'. The Code is the only 'charter' in which I am interested. It has completely the opposite effect — and it has no exceptions. Wakeham Chairman, Press Complaints Commission, 1 Salisbury Square, London WC1
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