A SENIOR Tory MP has delivered a stinging rebuke to Lord Justice Leveson for helping people settle “grudges” with newspapers.

John Whittingdale, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, questioned the remit of the inquiry into media standards, suggesting witnesses had been invited to “kick the press”.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Media Show, Mr Whittingdale said the probe had strayed into policy issues such as concentration of media ownership.

“Leveson has also almost encouraged anybody who has a grudge against the press over many years to come and unburden themselves in front of him – and as a result he has been looking at things which just seem to be a long way from what he was supposed to be doing.

“Things like Page Three girls. That’s a controversial issue but you don’t need a judicial inquiry to look into that.”

He added: “Some of the witnesses have borne grudges about treatment by the press, quite understandably, but it has looked slightly like: Come and form an orderly queue and kick the press.”

Mr Whittingdale raised concerns about any recommendation from Lord Justice Leveson – whose report could be published within weeks – for statutory regulation of the press. That would be a “dangerous road to go down”, he said.

“There will be great pressure on the Prime Minister to immediately accept the recommendations made by Leveson.

I hope he won’t, whatever it is,” he added.

􀁧 A serving member of the Armed Forces and his wife were arrested yesterday by detectives investigating allegations of inappropriate payments to public officials by journalists.

Scotland Yard said the arrests were the result of information provided by News Corporation’s management standards committee.

The woman, 32, was arrested at her home in Chertsey, Surrey, at 6am. Her husband, 42, was detained at an address in nearby Camberley half an hour later.

Scotland Yard said the man was arrested on suspicion of corruption contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and misconduct in a public office.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit corruption and suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office.