Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
gif of the day, ladies & gents:
I don't get BBC where I am, so what's the full story with regard to this one? Why is wee Ed making like a stunned goldfish there?
Missing Milly Dowler's voicemail "hacked by News of the World"
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I don't get BBC where I am, so what's the full story with regard to this one? Why is wee Ed making like a stunned goldfish there?
Divisive Cotton
Now I just have my toy soldiers
wouldn't that be great if they had to fly out of the country just to avoid appearing in front of the select committee 
ymu
Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet
When Cameron was lying through his teeth about who told him what and when. He lied to Parliament. Miliband looked astonished, Clegg closed his eyes in quiet horror at the realisation that Cameron just brought his own government down so it's all been for nothing, and Osborne's already terrified visage took on an aura of total and uttter defeat.
It's beautiful. You have to watch it. Miliband was doing the horrified goldfish impression for a looooong time whilst Cameron lied and lied and lied.
wouldn't that be great if they had to fly out of the country just to avoid appearing in front of the select committee
would they do that? i'm fairly sure that, if the 'fit and proper' test were ever applied (say in a future bid for sky), that 'fleeing the country to avoid giving evidence to a commons select committee' may blot their copybook. i think they're likely to have an eye to this in any moves they make in the near future.
claphamboy
The wheels on the bus go round and round....
wouldn't that be great if they had to fly out of the country just to avoid appearing in front of the select committee
Even better if they tried that and got publicly arrested at the airport, by beefeaters, just for the general lolz.
ymu
Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet
Dunno, they've not exactly made the wisest decisions so far. Fleeing the country would be humiliating, but are they prepared to lie to parliament instead? Or just remain silent?
They don't have many options, and they still have the arrogance of power without any actual power left, so more headless chicken act is not at all unlikely.
It's all good.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
When Cameron was lying through his teeth about who told him what and when. He lied to Parliament. Miliband looked astonished, Clegg closed his eyes in quiet horror at the realisation that Cameron just brought his own government down so it's all been for nothing, and Osborne's already terrified visage took on an aura of total and uttter defeat.
It's beautiful. You have to watch it. Miliband was doing the horrified goldfish impression for a looooong time whilst Cameron lied and lied and lied.
That is interesting, what specific lies do you think Cameron made?
ymu
Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet
I think Rusbridger has done a full run down. The easiest way to get a clue is to watch the video and watch for horrified goldfish impressions and sadly resigned expressions setting in ... but from my failing memory...
- that the information given to him by Rusbridger was no different to what was in the Guardian in Feb 2010 (what he was told was legally unpublishable at that time)
- that no one else saw fit to tell him about it (several other editors warned him too, or so Rusbridger claims)
- that no one ever asked a question about it in the house or a press conference so it couldn't have been that important (this was a bizarrely confused and apparently irrelevant point, but it is a lie - he was asked about it in at least one press conference)
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Does this committee appearance next week matter in any material way now, given the scope of the public inquiry and the withdrawn bid - it's surely reduced to grandstanding and venting?
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Having listened to Radio 4 this morn, it turns out that as well as not being able to compel the Murdochs to attend (due to US citizenship), they can't force Brooks to turn up (i.e. they don't have the power to get Plod to arrest her and drag her to the committee). If so, I fear you may well be right - a committee where none of the protagonists are present.
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Yep, but even if they were to turn up, so what. It'd be a just a show trial, without the trial.
It's all about the judge-led, under oath, Public Inquiry now. This committee is yesterdays chip wrapper.
It's all about the judge-led, under oath, Public Inquiry now. This committee is yesterdays chip wrapper.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
It'd be worth it for the squirm factor, I s'pose, but even if Brooks did turn up, she'd be legally entitled to say "no comment" to every question thrown at her. Something the meedja would cover with gusto, but as you say, would it actually achieve anything? Would questions be answered, and would at least some of the truth finally be revealed?
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Thery don't have to lie, they just stonewall: 'it's subject to a police investigation, we can't say anything at this point'.
Of course, that's not going to stop some more Parliamentarians trying to get in on the televised ceremonial slaughter for their own self-promotional ends.
Of course, that's not going to stop some more Parliamentarians trying to get in on the televised ceremonial slaughter for their own self-promotional ends.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
Good point on the MPs - wonder how many of these now "champions of the people" would have happily suckled on the Murdoch teat a few weeks ago?
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
It's the same as why Cameron ducked the Common's debate yesterday and the same as why a defence counsel never makes their client take the stand when they know that they're guilty - their absence implicates them as much as anything that they could say.Having listened to Radio 4 this morn, it turns out that as well as not being able to compel the Murdochs to attend (due to US citizenship), they can't force Brooks to turn up (i.e. they don't have the power to get Plod to arrest her and drag her to the committee). If so, I fear you may well be right - a committee where none of the protagonists are present.
MellySingsDoom
Decimated by the shrapnel of his rhetoric
I can certainly see what you mean there, but I'm also bearing in mind what London_Calling says about the "it's police investigation matter" line that the Murdochs and Brooks could spin whether or not they turn up. Again, I think the media etc will make a lot out of it come the day, whatever happens, but in the longer term, would a non-appearance/stonewall appearance prove to be a deeply wounding blow to the parties involved? I guess we shall see come the day itself.
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
I also think the media haven't quite 'got' the change of mood from yesterday; the public have their scalps for now - NotW has gone, the BSkyB bid has gone, the Public Inquiry is of the right terms and scope.
Of course the media wants to maintain the incredibly intense narrative, but the mood has changed..... it's all about the long game now.
Of course the media wants to maintain the incredibly intense narrative, but the mood has changed..... it's all about the long game now.
teqniq
DisMembered
Quite a few of them I reckon. Even so it was nice to receive through the post yesterday a reply from my M.P. assuring me he's been asking questions concerning the BSkyB case as far back as 13th January this year. Three pages no less! The most humorous (imo):
Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) Lab said:
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
I rather thought they were looking to put the boot in a feared rival, and then stamp on his head.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Brooks absolutely can be made to appear before either of the select committees after them. Atm it's a process of invitation. If they decline the committees can takes steps to bring them in - ii think the final act is a vote in the house. Good time for some MPs to make a name for themselves.
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
No one's saying otherwise.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
There is no 'the media' on this - there's different people and bodies pursuing different agendas with different motivations - back covering, journalistic integrity, personal vendettas and so on.
They'd love you to think that.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Apart from the poster mentioning that r4 said they can't compel brooks to appear not half an hour ago.
You can't help yourself can you?
Most of them looking for the highest profile scapegoat they can get.
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