of course we have the right to know facts about public figures, even such as mosely.
those who sit in judgement on others must be accountable, as logically their private acts influence their public thinking.
how can they not be?

john haydon rowe, javea,

Unsung, the press is our only effective watchdog. It does a mighty job. In the defence of liberty journalists have eclipsed judges, whose resentment of this and of press criticism unfits them to usurp parliament in creating a law of privacy. No right to privacy exists in nature -- judges stay away.

Tom, London, UK

Their is absolutely no justification for planting hidden cameras on a private premises to spy on adults indulging in consensual sexual activities.

Mike Freeman, Amsterdam, Nederland

If any of us could decide who deserved the protection of the Law, then it wouldn't be the Law at at all.

Robert, Hull, UK

People have a right to do whatever they like in private provided it's not doing anyone any harm. This trial was a waste of money and time.

SP, Bristol, UK

Bernard Levin rightly wrote that we have all done things we would not want publicised, but that if they are, we have only ourselves to blame. Free expression matters. I would abolish both the right to privacy and the law of libel. If a paper lies about you, get another paper to call them liars.

Richard Baron, London,

i really don't care what kind of consentual sex people are having, this is not only an invasion of privacy but a complete waste of time and money. is it so hard to find real news stories?

rudy, london,

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us poor sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

margaret, near Preston, England

I hope the editors of this countries newspapers are taking notice of what the public are saying.

You are wrong, get off your soap box and stop hiding behind this poor arguement and start doing a job in reporting news.

Simon , Bristol, uk

The journalists were entitled to investigate this matter, and the results of this ruling would not compromise their ability to do so in future. But having completed their investigation and discovered nothing of legitimate public interest, it was quite wrong for them to publish their findings

Mike Scott, London, UK

Well I thought it was Outrageous, I would never have paid those prices.

Mike, Berlin,

Did Mosley do it in private? Yes
Was it legal? Yes
Did Mosley seek to make any personal gain out of it? No
Does it impact on Mosley's ability to do his job? No

There was absolutely no reason for the media to get involved with Mosley' s private and consensual sex life.

Craig, London,

Everyone in the UK is equal before the law and deserves the law's protection.

Not very long ago, people would have made the same argument about gays that you make about Mosley. The fact that something is scandalous does not mean that there is justification for invading privacy to expose it.

Rowan, Oxford,

Hang on! A grown man in private with consenting female companions? What you are proposing is that intrusion is the norm and acceptable. Is it not the truth that the press is now indiscriminate? This is not Profumo that we are discussing. There are no issues at stake other than taste, his not ours.

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England

I think the real issue here is that journalists have been citing the freedom of the press to cover up for sloppy reporting, institutional bias and unfounded attacks on citizens character. I don't sympathise with Mosley, my sympathy lies with those who don't have the money to fight back.

Joseph Rogers, Warwick, UK

David from New York

You asked 4 questions. Answers are; No, Not relevant, Getting even less so as we progress, and you can work out the answer to the last for yourself

Avana Beach, London, UK

David from New York - Prostitution has never been illegal in the UK. No crime was committed.

Chris Davies, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Freedom of the press is a very important issue, a tenet of an advanced and equitable society. Mr Rees-Mogg is right to defend it. A shame less responsible journalists on the News Of the World are misguidedly prepared to risk that very freedom by parading juvenile prurience as morality or news.

Re're Tamarind, London, uk

Bill, nice article but you have your priorities all wrong. From looking at posts on several newspaper websites, most contributors are of the same mind. We are sick of the press dredging up and publishing scandal stories on people's personal lives. If it's in public and affects us of if not back off.

michael Pearson, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Uk

I'm a journalist on a national, indeed I've worked on this story, and I am glad Mosley won. This whole story was titillation rather than public interest, and the ruling should not affect a journalist researching then breaking a story of national interest.

Jay, London, UK

I disagree with the conclusion, and the rationale for the conclusion. I also don't see the connection with the rest of the piece.

The press at large has an obvious conflict in this matter.

By the by, re an above comment I believe that prostiution itself is not illegal in the UK.

Martin Thorpe, Sydney, Australia

It is amazing how jounalists hang together on affairs such as these no matter how obviously in the wrong they are. Your press abused its freedoms and is paying a fair price for that. You well know it was published for its potential to excite. And David in the States - no it wasn't illegal.

DW, Beijing, China

David from New York,

Prostitution and paying for sex has always been legal in the UK. Not in all forms though (such as streetwalking) and there are some associated illegal activites like pimping. But nobody is suggesting that Mosely commited a criminal act here.

paul, wuhu, China

Mr Rees-Mogg, I like your writings, but this time you are sadly mistaken. How would you like your sex life details, or that of your daughter, to be splashed on the front pages of the newpaper? There is no public interest in it at all, and that is why it should never have been published.

Steven, London, UK

I'm glad the judge ruled as he did. I am fed up reading about the initmate personal life of some poor non entities. IThats what we call porn.
If I want to be titllated, there is the top shelf of the newsagents available. In my newspapaers I want News.

derek robinson, york, uk

What complete nonsense! There is a huge difference between granting the press the freedom to investigate powerful institutions and letting them infiltrate individual citizens' bedrooms! This has to be the least convincing and least logical argument I've ever read from WRM.

David Space, London, UK

Have to disagree on this one. If journalists followed as strong an ethical code as they seem to impose upon those on the receiving end of their trash then they might get more sympathy. I'm glad Mosely won, what consenting adults do behind closed doors in nobody's business but their's.

Dan D, London,

Isn't prostitution still illegal in the UK?
How can any expectations of privacy over-rule a criminal act? Will there be any follow up from the authorities on his admission of the criminal act of hiring these prostitutes? if not why not?

David, New York, United States

Rubbish

marcoscu, Chorley, UK