Moving forward, the single great issue is corp gov, and whether self-regulation can deliver the moral and ethical standards required by OFCOM and any other bodies that may come to have oversight.I think, from his point of view, he played a blinder. He is getting on a bit obviously, but he was much more, I dunno, capable (?) than his son seems to be.* But I do agree with what you are saying about share holdings, I'd be worried about how the succession is going to work.
* Edit: By that I mean he just took things in his stride, threw out a couple of soundbites about wishing the NotW had been shut down earlier, and deflected a load of questions. Some mea culpa and strategic forgetfulness.
I think, from his point of view, he played a blinder. He is getting on a bit obviously, but he was much more, I dunno, capable (?) than his son seems to be.* But I do agree with what you are saying about share holdings, I'd be worried about how the succession is going to work.
* Edit: By that I mean he just took things in his stride, threw out a couple of soundbites about wishing the NotW had been shut down earlier, and deflected a load of questions. Some mea culpa and strategic forgetfulness.
But on reflection on Rupert - credit HAS to be given to him for such a mental career trajectory. To play puppetmaster to every single PM (and arguably a couple of US presidents) since the late 70s is pretty amazing, from a relatively humble background... leaving aside any moral issues for a second. No?
And PPE at Oxford. The old fraud.Humble beginnings such as inheriting a media company from his father.
Apparently the man hotly tipped to be our next monarch was brought up in state-provided accommodation near Slough.
Been quite difficult for him personally too - didn't his Dad murder his first wife? Amazing how he's come through it all so well adjusted.Yup, struggled to find employment before having to join the forces. Economic conscription.
He's gonna be fucked by the £26,000 a year cap on benefits though. Just when he was finally getting himself together.A lone parent, bringing up two children on handouts from the state.
and the NUJ guy took a couple of shots.
Q. That staff association, News International's staff association, made an application to the public official who deals with these matters for a declaration or a certificate of independence, which failed, because the certification officer found that the organisation was under the influence of the employer. Is that right?
A. I don't know.
transcript
Tom Watson to ask MPs if they have been bullied by News International
Labour MP to write to colleagues after Max Mosley offers legal funds for any MP wanting to report alleged intimidation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/apr/28/tom-watson-news-international-bullying-claimShortly after the appearance of the Murdochs before the select committee in July 2011, committee member and Conservative MP Louise Mensch said she was emailed by a journalist called David Jones threatening to expose past misdeeds including taking drugs. The email was copied to the Conservative chairman and the Conservative chief whip. Mensch then issued a statement to the media confessing to the accusations and concluding: "I have not the slightest intention of being deterred from asking how far the culture of hacking and blagging extended in Fleet Street."
The true identity of David Jones was never established but colleagues on the select committee say that Mensch has kept a low profile on the subject of News International and phone hacking ever since.
Mr Hunt appears to have misled the Commons on three occasions in his handling of News Corp's takeover bid of BSkyB.
In what could turn out to be the final blow to the under-fire Culture Secretary, a letter written by his permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, seen by this newspaper, challenges Mr Hunt's version of events.
... the Prime Minister will come under fresh pressure tomorrow when Labour demands that Mr Hunt clarify his comments to the House of Commons over how his special adviser, Adam Smith, was able to funnel information to News Corp lobbyist Frédéric Michel while the Culture Secretary was responsible for the BSkyB bid decision.
... Under the ministerial code, misleading parliament carries an immediate obligation to resign.
On 3 March last year, the Culture Secretary, who at the time had "quasi-judicial" oversight of the bid, told the Commons that his department was "publishing all the documents relating to all the meetings – all the consultation documents, all the submissions we received, all the exchanges between my Department and News Corporation". Yet, despite Mr Hunt knowing that Mr Smith had been appointed as a point of contact with Mr Michel, none of the emails between the two men was published. It was only last week, when James and Rupert Murdoch gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry, that the emails came to light.
There is even the prospect that the Prime Minister himself has broken the ministerial code by failing to order an independent inquiry into Mr Hunt's conduct. Section 1.3 of the code makes clear that once a prime minister has acknowledged an investigation is warranted, he must refer it to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
"Colleagues on the select committee" my arse. Do the Guardian not check their own paper?
Eh? That story is her raising it. Have they run a story about Mensch not raising it any more, which is what the "colleagues" say?