Outrage over Sun’s Reeva Steenkamp front page
The Sun stoked outrage over its treatment of women today after editors put a picture of murdered model Reeva Steenkamp in swimwear on its front page.
Steenkamp, who was killed yesterday in a shooting at the home of South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, is pictured posing in swimsuit next to text which reads: "3:00: Six shots. Screams. Silence. 3:10: Three more shots."
The front page sparked anger online, with many critics suggesting it was attempting to titillate its readers with the image of a woman who had recently been killed.
Labour MP Chris Bryant tweeted: "This is a simply despicable front page. It glories in domestic violence. @rupertmurdoch apologise."
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott's wrote: "I really hope every member of the shadow cabinet thinks twice before writing for the Sun after that front page."
Similar coverage was provided by other tabloids, who showed several photographs of the model in revealing clothing, but none chose to put the images on the front page, next to the news of the killing.
The development comes as political parties and pressure groups wrangle over the government's solution to the Leveson report.
Labour says the Tories' plans for a royal charter would "dilute" the Leveson report, which recommended that a new press watchdog be given a statutory underpinning.
The Sun front page can be considered to mark a return to normalcy for a newspaper, which has been decidedly more cautious in its coverage during the Leveson inquiry.
The paper held off for several days when pictures of Prince Harry naked in Las Vegas emerged online, although it eventually published the photos several days later.
The Steenkamp front page comes just days after Rupert Murdoch suggested the newspaper might get rid of its regular Page 3 feature.
"Page three so last century! You maybe right, don't know but considering," the media mogul tweeted to a follower on Twitter.
"Perhaps halfway house with glamorous fashionistas."
Pistorius arrived in court to face a murder charge over the killing of Steenkamp today, after spending the night in jail.
