Missing Milly Dowler's voicemail "hacked by News of the World"

[Santino]

it was only yesterday that cameron was declaring that the tory fightback starts now

"When your back's against the wall, it's time to turn round and fight". - John Major

 

[Teaboy]

And Blair flew 'across the world' to meet Murdoch, yada yada.

It means nothing without evidence. This is evidence.

Also, so what? The worse that will happen to any of the current government is that they will have to resign as a minister. What will happen to the new labour bunch? What will happen to Blair? A black mark against their reputation at most.

 

[Dan U]

its on Salmond a bit as well

Murdoch says he wanted Jeremy Hunt to understand that News Corp shareholders were restive over the length of the transaction period.
In another email, the News Corp executive Fred Michel refers to a dinner with Alex Salmond and the editor of the Scottish Sun, which had just decided to back Salmond at the next Scottish election.
In the email, Michel says: "Alex [Salmond] was keen to see if he could help smooth the way for the process", referring to the BSkyB takeover bid.
Ben Fenton, the FT correspondent, has just tweeted:

[The enthusiasm of @rupertmurdoch for Alex Salmond is, I think, now put in context.]
— Ben Fenton (@benfenton) April 24, 2012​

 

[Kaka Tim]

Thing is, it far more difficult to make a direct link between Blair and Rupes exchange of favours. Blair would have promised not to introduce any laws regulating the power of the media - i.e. rules on things like ownership - but how do you prove that? Even if rupert comes out and says it, Blair and co can jsut deny it and spin it and it all happened over 10 years ago. I doubt there are e-mails setting this out.

The BSkyB stuff is current and is also well within the realm of highly illegal and backed up with solid evdidence.

And can I just say 'lol'.

 

[London_Calling]

Also, so what? The worse that will happen to any of the current government is that they will have to resign as a minister. What will happen to the new labour bunch? What will happen to Blair? A black mark against their reputation at most.

what are you talking about?

It's not a history lesson. You want to bring in Thatcher, as well? The Inquiry has a specific remit. Stay focused.

 

[Teaboy]

what are you talking about?

It's not a history lesson. You want to bring in Thatcher, as well?

Eh? What the fuck are you on about?

I'll spell it out, yes this is evidence against the current government but so what if Blair is put in the frame as well, it doesnt matter anymore because they have nothing of note to resign from. Hunt will resign, Cameron may yet have to, what would be the action against former ministers if they are implicated?

 

[agricola]

I can't see Murdoch even laying a glove on Blair tbh. What is his motivation? He is angry with this lot, they've fucked him over (in his head). Blair gets invited to his Jesus like christening of his child on the Jordan ffs

Murdoch wouldnt, but Cameron would. If this starts to look like it is going to bring him down then his only real choice (assuming has a choice - that he doesnt get sidelined by someone who the Tories put up to replace him) is to start pointing out and providing evidence that (a) everyone was at it (which is largely true), and (b) that he at least did something about it (though admittedly by accident).

 

[London_Calling]

<sigh>

Onwards >>

 

[Dan U]

On 7 July, James Murdoch was given private information about a meeting between David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt to discuss setting up the Leveson inquiry.

DOH!

 

[Dan U]

Murdoch wouldnt, but Cameron would. If this starts to look like it is going to bring him down then his only real choice (assuming has a choice - that he doesnt get sidelined by someone who the Tories put up to replace him) is to start pointing out and providing evidence that (a) everyone was at it (which is largely true), and (b) that he at least did something about it (though admittedly by accident).

i'd love for it to happen, i really would. I am just not seeing it tbh. Blair even now seems like half a lifetime away

 

[London_Calling]

#9549 above: Exactly: specifics, dates, names, times, places, discussion details.

 

[Schmetterling]

Eh? What the fuck are you on about?

I'll spell it out, yes this is evidence against the current government but so what if Blair is put in the frame as well, it doesnt matter anymore because they have nothing of note to resign from. Hunt will resign, Cameron may yet have to, what would be the action against former ministers if they are implicated?

If he does, shall we have an Urban75 Leaving Party for him? I might even give up anonymity for that and attend.
Or we could organise a 'send-off' at the gates of Downing Street to wave and chant a slow Bye-Bye (slow clap style).

 

[agricola]

#9549 above: Exactly: specifics, dates, names, times, places, discussion details.

Leveson already has evidence that Reid was briefed by Yates about the Goodman and Mulcaire investigation. You would think he would want to know when that was, what was said, and what Reid did with that information. Records should exist that would allow him to answer all of those questions.

 

[agricola]

Also I should point out that what Hunt was doing - getting much too close to the businesses he was meant to oversee - is something that is sadly endemic across government. Railway Eye pointed out an especially shameful example of this only last week.

 

[London_Calling]

Almost literally, everyone in the country *knows* that. It means nothing. Again, this is about evidence, something you can act on - not what we all *know*.

 

[Teaboy]

Also I should point out that what Hunt was doing - getting much too close to the businesses he was meant to oversee - is something that is sadly endemic across government. Railway Eye pointed out an especially shameful example of this only last week.

Without a shadow of doubt. Its almost a rites of passage thing for a minister upon leaving government to take up at least one highly paid job in the industry they were overseeing just a short time ago.

 

[ymu]

Murdoch wouldnt, but Cameron would. If this starts to look like it is going to bring him down then his only real choice (assuming has a choice - that he doesnt get sidelined by someone who the Tories put up to replace him) is to start pointing out and providing evidence that (a) everyone was at it (which is largely true), and (b) that he at least did something about it (though admittedly by accident).

Precisely.

Also, so what? The worse that will happen to any of the current government is that they will have to resign as a minister. What will happen to the new labour bunch? What will happen to Blair? A black mark against their reputation at most.

This is a bit more important than bringing a few cunts to justice, lovely as that would be. This is one of many small chinks of light in the bleak neoliberal landscape. Labour cannot be allowed off the hook or it's back to business as usual.

 

[agricola]

We - literally - all know that. Almost literally, everyone in the country *knows* that. Again, this is about evidence, something you can act on - not what we all *know*.

That evidence almost certainly exists, though. Just because Hunt has been put in the frame by someone who wants to save his own skin doesnt mean that Leveson (or the rest of us) should focus on just him (or him and Cameron), especially when the likely successors to Hunt, Cameron and the rest of the coalition are the party that were even further up the Murdoch canal than the Tories were.

 

[London_Calling]

Interesting. Leveson himself mooting the idea of more than one regulator.... slicing up the media landscape along print and digital lines...

 

[Lord Camomile]

And we've still got Rupert, potentially for 1.5 days, to go

 

[Wilf]

And we've still got Rupert, potentially for 1.5 days, to go

Probably a long session of 'I don't remember', 'I don't deal with that' etc. Will be interesting to see how copes with the silky tones of the inquiry QC as opposed to the more aggressive stuff he got from a couple of those on the Select Committee. Somehow I doubt they'll get much out of him, though his only defence will be to portray himself as remote and ignorant about what was going on in his company. Mind, that was pretty much how his son has had to portray himself.

 

[DaveCinzano]

He'll turn up in a Bath chair with a tartan blanket over his legs and a Carry On-style nurse in attendance to administer Very Important Medicines (that may or may not have memory-affecting side effects).

 

[Kaka Tim]

Cameron has come out said he has 'full confidence in hunt'. Which is suprising because I cant see how he can possibly survive and you would have thought that he want to put clear water between himself and hunt - "I am shocked, utterlly shocked, to find out that Jeremy was Murdoch's bitch" etc.

Unless (tantalising) hunt has threatened to dish the dirt on cameron being the bigger bitch ....

 

[Badgers]

He'll turn up in a Bath chair with a tartan blanket over his legs and a Carry On-style nurse in attendance to administer Very Important Medicines (that may or may not have memory-affecting side effects).

Ignorance is innocence?

 

[Balbi]

I think Rupes is going for broke - breaking Cameron that is.

 

[ymu]

Interesting pre-election 2010 anecdote from Simon Kelner (editor of the Indy): The day James and Rebekah revealed the arrogant Murdoch way of business

 

[ymu]

Cameron has come out said he has 'full confidence in hunt'. Which is suprising because I cant see how he can possibly survive and you would have thought that he want to put clear water between himself and hunt - "I am shocked, utterlly shocked, to find out that Jeremy was Murdoch's bitch" etc.

Unless (tantalising) hunt has threatened to dish the dirt on cameron being the bigger bitch ....

Exactly what he did with Coulson, Fox and Harrison (of A4E). His having "full confidence" in him looks like bloody bad news for Hunt to me.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Interesting pre-election 2010 anecdote from Simon Kelner (editor of the Indy): The day James and Rebekah revealed the arrogant Murdoch way of business

• For legal reasons, this article will not be opened to comments

 

[Teaboy]

Funny, it was only this morning that I posted on the London Mayor Election thread that I thought Boris was beginning to suffer because of the series of shambolic Cameron episodes of late. If this Hunt thing blows up into a 'will he won't he resign' fiasco it could be fatal for Boris's campaign.

Cameron should have lanced this boil immediatly, he's in serious danger of fucking up yet again.

 

[agricola]

Cameron should have lanced this boil immediatly, he's in serious danger of fucking up yet again.

No, Cameron should continue to deal with this in the manner that he has been - its way they have handled this (badly, at least to them) that is exposing all this stuff to long-overdue scrutiny and criticism. These fuckups are the best things that could happen, IMHO.