Public Figures - are they hiding behind privacy law?

Privacy law issues and public figures has long been subject of debate and argument but a Sunday Times report indicates that Britain's Justice Minister is ready to "Now Michael McDowell, the justice minister, is ready to bring plans for a new privacy law to the cabinet. In theory, this legislation has been necessitated by a European Court of Human Rights ruling that found Princess Caroline of Monaco had her privacy infringed when she was photographed with a male companion in a French cafe.

Many commentators suspect this justification is fortuitous, say the Sunday Times, and that the real enthusiasm for the measure comes from some ministers’ annoyance at “unacceptable media intrusion” into their private lives. One privacy proponent is believed to be Martin Cullen, the transport minister, who found himself at the receiving end of some hard-hitting reportage when it emerged that Monica Leech, his political associate, had been awarded about €300,000 in consultancy contracts by government departments.