CULTURE Secretary Maria Miller said she has “thrown down the gauntlet” to the newspaper industry to quickly install a tough new independent watchdog or face statutory regulation.

The Basingstoke MP, and Prime Minister David Cameron, met with national newspaper editors at Downing Street last Tuesday to discuss the Leveson Report on press standards.

Newspaper editors are now set to meet again in a bid to agree a regulatory system that is independent but tough enough to stop future abuses. The Press hope the new system will be backed by politicians.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mrs Miller said: “What we need now is for the Press to get on with developing a tough, independent self-regulatory body. We have set them the challenge, and they have responded positively. “It is now for them to go away and develop those plans. I have made it very clear that this has to happen swiftly.”

Later, she added on Twitter: “Gauntlet thrown down to industry on timetable & proposals.”

Since the report’s publication a week ago, Mrs Miller has repeatedly stated that she has “grave concerns” about bringing in new legislation to control the Press – one of the recommendations of senior judge Lord Justice Leveson.

While Mrs Miller was meeting the editors, Labour leader Ed Miliband hosted members of the campaign group Hacked Off, which represents victims of phone hacking by the former Sunday tabloid News of the World. The Labour leader reiterated his party’s position that the Leveson Report’s recommendations should be implemented in full, including statutory regulation.

Mrs Miller believes the Press should agree to a new, tougher independent regulator themselves. The new body should have powers to fine publishers up to £1million and force prominent apologies. The new regulatory system would replace the current Press Complaints Commission.

Last Monday afternoon, in the House of Commons, Mrs Miller told MPs that the “status quo was not an option”. She said that if the newspaper industry failed to act, then the Government will impose statutory regulation.

“We will see change,” she said. “That change can either come with the support of the Press or – if we are given no option – without it. Be in no doubt that if the industry doesn’t respond, the Government will.”