Leveson inquiry: government confirms second stage axed

Sir Brian Leveson’s work had had a ‘huge impact on public life’, the Commons heard.The culture secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed on Thursday that the government would drop plans for the second phase of the Leveson inquiry into press standards launched in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.The Conservative manifesto for last year’s general election included plans to abandon Leveson 2, which was intended to examine relationships between journalists and the police.