Lord Justice Leveson speaks during an inquiry meeting
10:29am UK, Monday June 25, 2012
The judge contacted Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood after Education Secretary Michael Gove expressed concern over the "chilling" effect the probe, set up in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, was having on freedom of speech.
The Prime Minister subsequently said his minister had made an "important point" - prompting Lord Justice Leveson to seek assurances that the Government had not formed a view before his final report.
The call, which took place in February, was only revealed by The Mail on Sunday earlier this month.
Inquiry sources have denied the newspaper's suggestion that the judge was ready to quit over the incident.
But Lord Justice Leveson read a statement this morning explaining why it was appropriate to call Mr Heywood, rather than taking issue with the coverage.
Lord Justice Leveson stressed that he had no "hidden agenda" to act as an arbiter of media regulation as he addressed the controversy.
Later, the inquiry is due to take evidence from senior journalists including Mail on Sunday political editor Simon Walters.
Philip Webster of The Times, The Independent's Andy Grice and Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow are also on the witness list.
