The Sun will keep its Page 3 pin-ups, its new editor has reiterated – and said that women readers fully supported the feature.
David Dinsmore told BBC Radio 5 Live he was “standing [his] ground” on the controversial regular, despite repeated pressure from politicians, anti-sexism campaigners and student bodies.
Page 3 has often been criticised by women’s groups, and earlier this year Green MP Caroline Lucas wore a T-shirt with the slogan ‘‘No More Page Three’’ during a debate on sexism in the media.
Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman has been a long-term opponent while party leader Ed Miliband said there was no place in the modern world for pictures of topless women in newspapers like The Sun – although Miliband said he would not ban Page 3 pin-ups if he becomes prime minister after the 2015 general election.
But Dinsmore remained determined about the future of Page 3. He told John Pienaar on 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics: “I think that it is a lively issue for people who don’t buy the paper and we’ve done the research, done the focus groups and in many ways listened to the campaigners to say: ‘What does it mean to our readers?’
“The result comes back a resounding ‘keep it there, don’t take it away’.
Asked by Pienaar about women’s opinions of Page 3, Dinsmore said: “We’ve done focus groups and we’re surprised by how vocal women are in support of it.
“That’s the fascinating thing – [they’re saying] ‘don’t mess with my paper, I’m not going to be told by anyone what should be in my paper’.”