Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer hints a law that threatens press freedom could be repealed

Lucy Frazer implied strongly last night that the repealing of a controversial law that threatens press freedom will be included in the King’s Speech.

The Culture Secretary dropped the hint as she hailed Britain’s mainstream media.

In a speech in Downing Street, she praised the press for ‘reporting without fear or favour’, ‘combating mis and disinformation’ and ‘holding people, organisations and countries to account’.

She also paid tribute to journalists reporting from war zones, such as in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.

The Cabinet Minister vowed that Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which was drawn up following the Leveson inquiry, will finally soon be killed off in The Media Bill.

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Lucy Frazer (pictured) implied strongly last night that the repealing of a controversial law that threatens press freedom will be included in the King’s Speech

She also paid tribute to journalists reporting from war zones, such as in Ukraine , Israel and Gaza

The provision, which was supported by celebrities such as Hugh Grant and the campaign group Hacked Off, has remained on the statute book but never been brought into force.

It would force publishers to pay the costs of the people who sue them, even if the publisher wins, potentially deterring media outlets from publishing certain material they know to be true.

In her address to mark Journalism Matters Week, Ms Frazer added: ‘I want you to know that we, in government, have your back. We understand what you are doing and why it is so important.

‘It is why we will remove a threat to freedom of the press by repealing Section 40 so costs are not a bar to investigative journalism.’