A TV executive campaigning to lift the ban on cameras in criminal courts has said the limited rights announced in last week’s Queen’s speech will not end the battle for access. ‘We’re obviously interested in discussing what extras we can do down the road,’ Simon Bucks, associate editor at Sky News and a prominent campaigner for a change in the law, told the Gazette.

The Crime and Courts bill introduced in the Lords last week contains measures to allow filming and broadcasting of opening and closing legal arguments and judgments handed down. There will be no filming of defendants, witnesses or victims.

Bucks told the Gazette he was pleased to have overturned the ban but that ‘it goes without saying’ the broadcaster wanted more.

‘We recognise this is quite a big change as people will want to be reassured the practice of cameras in court is not going to interfere with the course of justice,’ he said. Bucks said one area for future discussion could be appeals in civil courts, but the subject of filming defendants was ‘not part of the plan’ at the moment.

Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke said overturning the ban will bring the concept of open justice ‘into the modern age’ and make the courts ‘more accessible to the public than ever before’.

But the legal profession expressed concerns. Law Society president John Wotton said: ‘We welcome measures designed to improve public confidence in and knowledge of the justice system, and support the principle of open justice.

‘We have concerns, however, that allowing TV cameras into courts may lead to selective and sensational reporting, and cause even more stress to victims of crime, witnesses and defendants alike.’ Discussions are still taking place on how to install the cameras in courtrooms.

Footage will be shared between Sky, BBC and ITN.