The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has hit out at controversial proposals she warns could threaten the ability of newspapers to hold politicians to account.
Ruth Davidson, herself a former journalist, also cautioned that the move could put some titles out of business.
Her intervention comes as publishers warn there are just hours left to 'save' 300 years of press freedom.
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Under the proposals newspapers could be forced to pay their opponents' legal costs even if they win in court.
Critics have warned that the move would threaten the future of investigative journalism.
Others say stories such as the Westminster expenses scandal in 2009 would never have come to light.
Conservative ministers are consulting on proposals to activate Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act.
Rushed into law after the Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking, it requires newspapers to sign up to a state-recognised regulator or face paying the legal costs of both sides even if they win.
Ms Davidson said that newspapers were “infuriating, challenging, messy, chaotic and a pain in the backside".
But she said that these were the "very qualities that make them fundamental to our democracy.
"Section 40 threatens their ability to hold power to account - and, worse, it could put local titles out of business altogether.
Read more: Tories "utterly confused" over local elections, claim SNP
"I was a journalist for more than 10 years before I was a politician and I was always proud to be a part of the trade.
"Section 40 is the wrong medicine."
Opponents point out that no Scottish newspapers were involved in hacking.
While the Scottish Government have said that Section 40 would not apply under Scots law John McLellan, the director of The Scottish Newspaper Society, said there were concerns that Scottish newspapers could be sued in English courts and that groups which own newspapers across the UK, including in Scotland, would suffer financially, affecting Scottish titles.
He added that Impress, the regulator set up by the millionaire Max Mosley, has only one Scottish member, the Ferret website.
Mr McLellan has described Section 40 as smashing a “wrecking ball through every principle of freedom of speech in a democracy and the role of a free press in the governance of the UK.”
The consultation, available on the Government website, is due to come to an end today.
Read more: Tories "utterly confused" over local elections, claim SNP
Campaign group Hacked Off, which backs the proposal, argues that both sides are protected under the legislation because newspapers would not be compelled to pay the costs of those who brought libel actions against them if they joined a recognised regulator.
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