Murdoch hacking scandal latest

[Lateralthinking1]

Someone mentioned that this could become the British Watergate. I would love to think that it would be. Any temporary pain in terms of an unprecedented constitutional crisis would be far outweighed by the benefits of root and branch reform. It is increasingly obvious that there is significant corruption in every sphere of influence. There is a really desperate need now for radical change. Unfortunately, the chances of that happening are virtually nil. It started with Harold Wilson around the time of Nixon and has just been allowed to get worse and worse. (Brandt was indeed honourable - one of the finest post-war politicians. I own a copy of his autobiography "My Life In Politics" and would recommend it to all).

[vinteuil]

. It started with Harold Wilson ).

... I think things were pretty iffy under Campbell-Bannerman... Come to think of it, Disraeli had his odder moments. And Sidmouth! The Rockingham administration wasn't always of the cleanest... And don't get me started on Robt. Walpole!

[Lateralthinking1]

Yes absolutely, point taken. Would it though be fair to say that expectations of decency rose particularly after WW2? For a brief period, they were closely associated with modernity? For the past few decades, the very concept of modernisation has generally meant a few steps further back to the cave?

[french frank]

I didn't think Mr C was on very firm ground insisting that Coulson was 'a friend' ("He became a friend and he is a friend."). Um, Prime Minister, how on earth did you ever come to appoint Geo. Osborne as Chancellor? Well, we were friends, I mean, golly gosh - we were at school together.

[Mahlerei]

And now former royal editor Clive Goodman has been re-arrested over allegations of corruption.

[MrGongGong]

I didn't think Mr C was on very firm ground insisting that Coulson was 'a friend' ("He became a friend and he is a friend."). Um, Prime Minister, how on earth did you ever come to appoint Geo. Osborne as Chancellor? Well, we were friends, I mean, golly gosh - we were at school together.

all part of the Bog Society methinks
we can all have a go
after all if volunteers can run the NHS why not have Osborne minor in charge of the tuck fund as he always did other chaps maths prep in exchange for a sherbert dib dab

[vinteuil]

Um, Prime Minister, how on earth did you ever come to appoint Geo. Osborne as Chancellor? Well, we were friends, I mean, golly gosh - we were at school together.

o Fr Fr, bad mistake... Dave was at Eton; Gideon was at St Paul's - and thus - for Dave, Boris etc - an irredeemable oik ....

[french frank]

o Fr Fr, bad mistake... Dave was at Eton; Gideon was at St Paul's - and thus - for Dave, Boris etc - an irredeemable oik ....

Crumbs! So it's a mystery then!

The quote was from PGW, btw: "But, Bertie, we were at school together ..." [Quick Google: it was Bingo Little]

[Mahlerei]

Ed Miliband has just referred to the Press Complaints Commission as a 'toothless poodle' Surely the metaphor only works if it's applied to tigers (ie they look fierce but they aren't). Ridiculously manicured pooches are hardly threatening.

Ooh, Simon's back. Bless.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Expect employees of the phone companies to be implicated soon as the News of the World seemed to have an amazing database or personal numbers.

As for the boys in blue, well they've been getting back handers for tip offs, probably since the days of the peelers.


And, yes, I've likened the situation to Watergate because the contaminant fallout will critically land on the roof of No.10.

Cameron brought Coulson into Downing Street on his Bullingdon tales when they're was already plenty of disquiet at his connections to the first hacking trials. I mean, he could be said to be fair smouldering at the time, rather as steam comes off a dung heap.

What's more, time and again, he backed Coulson, even as the clamour increased. Was there no stage at which, if not Cameron himself, then at least a senior aide had a one to one with Coulson and asked 'is there anything that we need to know'. Or, as with Lord Ashcroft and his off-shore status, was his silence enough to have them 'assume' that he was squeaky clean.

Also, Cameron today tried to make some mileage out of the friend thing with Coulson, as if to say, 'I'm a good guy because I'm standing by AC ... I'm not shunning my mate', and also as if to imply 'this guy's not toxic, so I'm cool standing by him'.

That was a gamble on his part but as he's playing with the weakest of hands it really was quite a mistake.

Your friends are friends until they let you down.

[Lateralthinking1]

Spiritual profile of Damon. Useful because he came into the world on the same day in history as Andy Coulson. I haven't read it in detail yet but I would expect it to reveal everything we might need to know

http://www.myspiritualprofile.com/content/spiritual_reading_summary.cfm?first_name=damon&birthdate_day=21&birthdate_month=1&birthdate_year=1968

[Lateralthinking1]

......Rebekah was born on 28 May 1968. Same day as Kylie Minogue.

[french frank]

As for the boys in blue, well they've been getting back handers for tip offs, probably since the days of the peelers.

And then, one wonders: Rusbridger told Cameron that there was this murder trial coming up (can't publish anything about it) and it appeared that mumble [the NotW man?] was involved so beware ...

I wonder where the Guardian got its information from? And would it be all right to pay the police for information that was so clearly 'in the public interest'? Or do the police, like good guys, routinely offer free tip-offs in such cases?

[Stillhomewardbound]

FF, I believe Rusbridger's information was in the public domain but could not be written up pre-trial because it would have been sub judice.

Also, lots of narks do actually offer up information with any payed inducement.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Suffering withdrawl symptoms as the Guardian's live feed has crashed!!