Murdoch hacking scandal latest

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I really hope that people will not rush out to buy the final collector's edition of NOTW on Sunday. This would send out the wrong messages. I expect to be disappointed.

[mercia]

well if all circulation revenue is going to good causes I think we all ought to buy a copy

[arcades]

Oh dear. I go away again for a break, having successfully demolished Frances's last silly - and untenable -conspiracy theory about the PM, only to find that she's coming up with another hysterical idea.

Now, I don't expect many on this MB (rapidly becoming the "Friends of Radio 3 as long as you are leftist anti-Western, pro Islamic, pro-unlimited-immigration, anti-coalition, pro-EU, anti cuts, pro increasing the deficit till we are bankrupt" MB) who seem to be living in some unreal world with Guardian headlines as wallpaper and who believe all they read in the Morning Star, to worry very much about things like accuracy and evidence as long as the thrust is directed against the current Government, but it is perhaps worth pointing out that there is NO, repeat NO, evidence whatsoever that David cameron was or is in any way "in the pockets" of the Murdoch empire. Other than being on friendly terms, as are most senior politicians of both parties as far as they can be, with most national newspaper editors and owners - and with most senior BBC and ITV staff too - the PM has not been involved with any of this rubbish at all.

The argument that David Cameron is tainted by this doesn't only come from a (very) broad political left. Peter Oborne is pretty vehement about it

Hmm - the Daily Telegraph link seems to have changed. Try http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/pe...ional-friends/

http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/70...wont-say.thtml

this MB (rapidly becoming the "Friends of Radio 3 as long as you are leftist anti-Western, pro Islamic, pro-unlimited-immigration, anti-coalition, pro-EU, anti cuts, pro increasing the deficit till we are bankrupt" MB)

That's odd: when I joined (not long ago) I was asked for a valid e mail address: I didn't have to say whether I was pro- or anti- anything.

[Lateralthinking1]

Mr GongGong - Re your post 44, thank you. I have changed the wording in post 43 to make it accurate. Can't be too careful with the legal stuff! Now then, here's the timeline:

Oct 2005 - Article - "Cocaine and Me - David Cameron" - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...d-Cameron.html
Oct 2005 - Article - Osborne cocaine use allegations - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-pictures.html
Dec 2005 - David Cameron elected Conservative leader, Osborne to be Shadow Chancellor

Aug 2006 - Detectives arrest the News of the World's royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire over allegations that they hacked into the mobile phones of members of the royal household.
Nov 2006 - Andy Coulson apologises to William and Harry.
Jan 2007 - Goodman is jailed for four months and Mulcaire for six months after they admit intercepting voicemail messages on royal aides' phones, including some left by Prince William. Crucially, media say that many MPs were also "on Mulcaire's list at NOTW".

Feb 2007 - Suddenly, Cameron "dogged by cocaine rumours" - One Murdoch newspaper reported that "tabloid newspapers" had sent investigators to try to get to the truth of persistent Westminster rumours that he has used the Class A drug. There were stories in many of "the Sunday papers" asking questions. The worry was what any revelations would do in an election campaign. Osborne had also been alleged to have used cocaine when a former prostitute said she saw him snorting the drug - After a silence on this matter for about 16 months the timing of this article is interesting given possible unhappiness in parts of the media about the decision on Mulcaire!

Additionally, the Independent reported that "The plot to confront Mr Cameron with a direct question about cocaine was hatched at a meeting of David Davis's campaign team on the morning of 12 October 2005....But Mr Cameron had been warned in advance of what he might expect, by another Davis supporter, David Ruffley. A special adviser in the John Major government at the same time as Mr Cameron, he was appalled at what he considered a "dirty trick". Mr Ruffley secretly promised a leading lieutenant in the Cameron camp that he would try to foil the plot". http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...on-436860.html

Jun 2007 - Gordon Brown becomes Labour Leader and Prime Minister - Conservatives sense possible future election victory
Jun 2007 - Andy Coulson resigns from NOTW over phone hacking affair
Jul 2007 - David Ruffley MP becomes shadow Minister for policing - a thank-you gift?
Jul 2007 - Media frenzy over drug-taking - Labour MPs admitting to using cannabis, spotlight on Cameron again
Jul 2007 - Andy Coulson becomes new Conservative Director of Communications - decision described as "interesting" and the timing certainly is - who now will not be investigating the Cameron and Osborne pasts?!

From this point onwards, very little reference in the media to politicians and drugs use. What a surprise!

Jul 2009 - Both Brown and Cameron attend Rebekah's wedding - maybe she and Murdoch are still hedging their bets?.

Jul 2009 - The Guardian newspaper reports that News Group Newspapers, which publishes the News of the World, has paid out more than £1 million to settle cases that threatened to reveal evidence of its journalists' alleged involvement in phone hacking. Scotland Yard says it will not be carrying out a new investigation into the allegations, but the Crown Prosecution Service announces an urgent review of material provided by the police in 2006.

Nov 2009 - The Press Complaints Commission says in a second report that it has seen no new evidence to suggest anyone at the News of the World other than Goodman and Mulcaire hacked phone messages, or that the paper's executives knew what the pair were doing - Coulson therefore "not guilty".

May 2010 - Andy Coulson becomes No 10 Communications Director
May 2010 - New coalition Government. David Ruffley loses his policing portfolio - not manipulable enough?
9 Jun 2010 - Downing Street confirms Coulson is the highest paid special adviser.
19 Jun 2010 - David Ruffley MP jumps in front of a train at Victoria station. Media report it was "not accidental".

Sep 2010 - New York Times publishes article which claims Coulson knew his staff was carrying out illegal phone hacking. The story also raises questions about how vigorously Scotland Yard pursued the case.
Nov 2010 - Coulson interviewed as a witness by Metropolitan Police detectives investigating the phone tapping allegations.
Dec 2010 - The Crown Prosecution Service says no further charges will be brought over the News of the World phone hacking scandal because witnesses refused to co-operate with police.

Dec 2010 - Cameron enjoys Christmas with Rebekah Brooks - now more favoured than Coulson?
5-7 Jan 2011 - NOTW suspends News Editor Ian Edmondson, Scotland Yard approaches NOTW for more information
14 Jan 2011 - CPR to review again
21-31 Jan 2011 - Further allegations of hacking. Coulson resigns from No 10. Met Police to fully investigate
Feb-Jul 2011 - Revelations virtually every week

Jul 2011 - Article - "Cameron went horse riding with Rebekah" - http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/th...g-went-cameron
Jul 2011 - Rumours of imminent arrest of Coulson. Brooks appears to be leading a charmed life. Almost, erm, protected.

[MrGongGong]

That's odd: when I joined (not long ago) I was asked for a valid e mail address: I didn't have to say whether I was pro- or anti- anything.

We all know the BBC is an anti western leftish conspiracy after all look at the way the Royal wedding was ignored ........... ooops
Nurse, the screens !
same old Simon same old crock'o'sh**e

[ahinton]

if any further inducement is required, can we please remember that the government of the day currently serves without mandate

Whilst broadly true, you could say the same about the way in which Newscorp's often revolting offerings would have no pull of the kind that one might expect from such a mandate were it not for the readership who have been as free to read or not to read, to buy or not to buy, Newscorp products as they have been to vote or not to vote for the party of their choice in a General Election; the current coalition is without mandate only because of the actions of the electorate and you can hardly blame it for that.

[ahinton]

Oh dear. I go away again for a break

Not long enough, it would appear.

Now, I don't expect many on this MB (rapidly becoming the "Friends of Radio 3 as long as you are leftist anti-Western, pro Islamic, pro-unlimited-immigration, anti-coalition, pro-EU, anti cuts, pro increasing the deficit till we are bankrupt" MB) who seem to be living in some unreal world with Guardian headlines as wallpaper and who believe all they read in the Morning Star

I'm trying to figure out which of these categories fits me; it's taking almost as long as your break should have been.

as long as the thrust is directed against the current Government

I thought that it was David Cameron, not "£the current government" as a whole, who was being referred to in this particular context.

but it is perhaps worth pointing out that there is NO, repeat NO, evidence whatsoever that David cameron was or is in any way "in the pockets" of the Murdoch empire. Other than being on friendly terms, as are most senior politicians of both parties as far as they can be, with most national newspaper editors and owners - and with most senior BBC and ITV staff too - the PM has not been involved with any of this rubbish at all.

You have evidence to support this, do you? I agree that one should be wary of making accusations without evidence, but one should be equally wary of refuting them without evidence.

The late Mrs Dunwoody

A typo for Nutwoody, peut-être?

Don't get me wrong

Sadly, there's all too little danger of that!

Celebrity trash, gossip, sex titillation and soaps have provided nothing worthwhile for any community. But it's become a symbiotic relationship where each makes money out of the gullible public by using each other.

And nothing else does the same? Who's the really gullible one, Simon?!

[johnb]

I'm puzzled by this piffle about Rebekah Brooks "offering her resignation".

Someone either resigns or they don't.

Saying to your employer "I will resign if you want me to" is quite different.

[amateur51]

We all know the BBC is an anti western leftish conspiracy after all look at the way the Royal wedding was ignored ........... ooops
Nurse, the screens !
same old Simon same old crock'o'sh**e

And his new avatar reveals that even he realises that he's a spouter too

[french frank]

Please, I'm well aware of the situation, but can I steer the discussion back to the topic.

[french frank]

I'm puzzled by this piffle about Rebekah Brooks "offering her resignation".

Someone either resigns or they don't.

Saying to your employer "I will resign if you want me to" is quite different.

Yes, a behind-the-hand, 'Erm, waddya think, boss? I could resign, if you like' is simply a contribution to the corporate strategy to deal with the problem they have.

[amateur51]

You have evidence to support this, do you? I agree that one should be wary of making accusations without evidence, but one should be equally wary of refuting them without evidence

Simon has never considered himself to be bound by the usual definition of 'refutation', ahinton: he considers it enough that he pronounces it to be otherwise and lo! it is so!

[Chris Newman]

Coming back to the main points of this thread I seem to recall that Chancellor Willy Brandt of Germany (one of the very few statesmen in modern politics, by the way) resigned from his office in 1974 because he unwittingly employed an aide, Günter Guillaume, who turned out to be less than trustworthy. Most of us felt Brandt could have gone on in office but he was an honorable man. I cannot imagine David Cameron, who knew about the potential thunder cloud hanging over his Press Officer when he employed him at No 10, having the same integrity.

[amateur51]

Coming back to the main points of this thread I seem to recall that Chancellor Willy Brandt of Germany (one of the very few statesmen in modern politics, by the way) resigned from his office in 1974 because he unwittingly employed an aide, Günter Guillaume, who turned out to be less than trustworthy. Most of us felt Brandt could have gone on in office but he was an honorable man. I cannot imagine David Cameron, who knew about the potential thunder cloud hanging over his Press Officer when he employed him at No 10, having the same integrity.

Good points Chris - Rusbridger says he told Cameron through an intermediary and Clegg directly aeons ago about Coulson's potential 'form'.

[arancie33]

well if all circulation revenue is going to good causes I think we all ought to buy a copy

I think anyone who falls for that one should think again then give money to whichever good cause they think most deserving