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

[London_Calling]

I think you can tell Cameron knows how exposed he potentially is; the man is rattled, he's lost control of events and something very large and fast may be heading in his direction.

Of course none of this is due to the work of the CMS Committee over 5-10 years, though that is not their fault it's a reminder of the importance of how things are framed and how they appear.

 

[Balbi]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/02/david-cameron-bskyb-news-corp

So Michel was in No.10 - talking to an aide of Cameron - but they didn't talk to Hunt about it.

FUCK OFF.

(Also, today's a good day to bury bad news)

 

[Schmetterling]

Helpful article from Peter Oborne in The Telegraph. This titbit is worth repeating:

Helpful article from Peter Oborne in The Telegraph. This titbit is worth repeating:

A fresh embarrassment concerns Rebekah Brooks, who providentially retained the text messages she received from the Prime Minister, which I’m told could exceed a dozen a day.

These may now be published, a horrible thought. Next year it is possible that some of Mr Cameron’s closest allies and friends, including Andy Coulson, the former Downing Street director of communications, will go on trial. Apart from anything else, these reminders of the Prime Minister’s poor judgment will reinforce the popular belief that he is arrogant, louche and only comfortable as a member of some elitist set.​

Summary:

A good read:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-Conservative-Party-sleaze-but-it-is-now.html

Eurgh! Do you think there are any dresses she kept? a la Lewinsky!

 

[laptop]

Helpful article from Peter Oborne in The Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-Conservative-Party-sleaze-but-it-is-now.html

Oooh, ta. Tory infighting always good.

Here are the News International crowd: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson, David Miliband, David Blunkett, John Reid, Tessa Jowell, Michael Gove, George Osborne, William Hague. David Cameron, John Whittingdale and Jeremy Hunt (as well as Mr Hunt’s brainless sidekick, Ed Vaizey) should also be added to this list.

And here are the refuseniks: Vince Cable, Tom Watson, George Galloway, Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Paterson, Dominic Grieve, Ken Clarke. This is a much shorter list. My hunch is that their integrity has paid off and we are coming to the end of the Murdoch era, which was based around a cult of celebrity, collusion, criminality and deceit.

So who does Oborne back for new Tory leader? He nearly ignored Osborne in the above villainology, but implied in November that Cameron would have to sack Osborne...

 

[London_Calling]

I suspect no one has a clue where this will all lead, or where things will end up.

Westminster Village is going to look like one of those mass pie fights from the silent movie era for the foreseeable...

 

[laptop]

Oh, and no surprise that Oborne omits Thatcher from the list of miscreants...

 

[London_Calling]

Yep, it's a bit random

 

[butchersapron]

Vince Cable, Tom Watson, George Galloway, Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Paterson, Dominic Grieve, Ken Clarke.

A list that just screams personal integrity.

 

[Wilf]

Dominic Grieve and Iain Duncan Smith - winner and runner up in the annual Cold Fish of the Year Award.

 

[frogwoman]

Dominic grieve is my MP

 

[London_Calling]

Andy Coulson is to appear at the Leveson inquiry next week along with his former boss Rebekah Brooks. More details soon …

It'll be fine because, you know, they'll be under oath...

Thurs: Brooks
Friday: Coulson

http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Witness-List-7-11-May-2012.pdf

Cameron may need a change of underwear by Thurs lunchtime.

 

[sleaterkinney]

"I don't remember", "I can't recall"

 

[teqniq]

"I got no memory of anything at all"

 

[London_Calling]

People are entitled to not incriminate themselves. The rest of us can draw the obv. conclusions.

Brooks has also been charged with criminal offences so that's also problematic for Leveson. Coulson .. is he on a chrage yet - he'll presumably get it in the neck eventually for Tommy Sheridan, at least.

I presume these appearances will focus on the chain of command and corp gov.

 

[Balbi]

Please, for once in my life, let me get what I want.

Leveson should request all texts and communications between Brooks and Cameron/Coulson and Cameron/Coulson and Brooks. And then let Robert Jay work his way through them, slowly.

 

[DexterTCN]

Looks like Watson's out-played Mensch. He's quite good at this stuff.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/03/watson-accuses-mensch-pro-murdoch-amendments

Watson told the Guardian: "Now that Louise has felt the need to breach the convention that our private deliberations remain that way, we might as well have it out."
He said the best solution was to have the draft report published, which would show a timeline of all amendments proposed by Conservative and Labour committee members as the report was drafted and redrafted over three months.
"In helping the public form a judgement, I would support the chairman of the committee were he to publish the original draft of the report and all amendments tabled by all members of the committee," Watson said.
"People will make up their own mind as to the integrity and motives of the committee members. It might also help the public debate were all committee members to publish their meetings with employees of News International and BSkyB as well as all hospitality and social invitations."

 

[London_Calling]

They're a complete shambles.

/Back to Leveson

 

[laptop]

Leveson should request all texts and communications between Brooks and Cameron/Coulson and Cameron/Coulson and Brooks. And then let Robert Jay work his way through them, slowly.

Typing with fnigers corssed here...

 

[butchersapron]

Please, for once in my life, let me get what I want.

Leveson should request all texts and communications between Brooks and Cameron/Coulson and Cameron/Coulson and Brooks. And then let Robert Jay work his way through them, slowly.

Can they?

 

[agricola]

Looks like Watson's out-played Mensch. He's quite good at this stuff.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/03/watson-accuses-mensch-pro-murdoch-amendments

Not really - in fact it was probably Watson who (wrongly) suggested Mensch had been keeping a low profile with regards to News International and phone hacking at the start of the week.

 

[DexterTCN]

If he's manoeuvring to get the drafts into the public domain, he'll have good reasons for it.

 

[laptop]

Can they?

I believe Leveson can.

Whether he'd be persuaded that this would prejudice potential later criminal proceedings is a different matter.

 

[laptop]

it was probably Watson who (wrongly) suggested Mensch had been keeping a low profile with regards to News International and phone hacking at the start of the week.

My money's on Farrelly for that one. After a beer or three.

 

[Balbi]

Can they?

I believe Leveson can request the information.

 

[London_Calling]

Leveson, Part One:

"the culture, practices and ethics of the press, including contacts between the press and politicians and the press and the police; it is to consider the extent to which the current regulatory regime has failed and whether there has been a failure to act upon any previous warnings about media misconduct"

So: "including contacts between the press and politicians".

It’s difficult to see how regular, direct contact between the Editor of the biggest selling paper and the PM would not be germane.

But… would it step on the Met’s toes in relation to existing charges or on going investigations, is Leveson in receipt of other materials more relevant to its remit (perhaps emails), and is the actual content of the texts deemed sufficiently relevant to the terms of ref…

 

[ymu]

Can they?

Think so. Cameron's already promised to produce it all too, IIRC.

 

[two sheds]

He said he'd provide them if Leveson requested them IIRC.

 

[London_Calling]

The revelation in today’s Sunday Times, that Rebekah Brooks stands ready to disclose all emails and text messages between her and David Cameron is game changing.

If Lord Justice Leveson really does want to fully undertand the apparatus constructed by Rupert Murdoch’s executives, then the conversations that were meant to be forever private is the way to get there.

Yet is is not right, that only David Cameron is targeted in such a way. If, as it now appears, Brooks has retained meticulous digital records, then her email and text messages between the current PM and Chancellor and all former Prime Ministers and Chancellors should be disclosed to Leveson.

If this is done, then the country really will get to see how Rupert Murdoch operates in Britain.

http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2012/04...her-private-emails-and-texts-to-david-cameron

 

[agricola]

http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2012/04...her-private-emails-and-texts-to-david-cameron

Ed Miliband must be somewhat concerned, and I suppose the rumoured comeback of King Tony will be put on hold as well.

 

[Lock&Light]

..........I suppose the rumoured comeback of King Tony will be put on hold as well.

You must be referring to Tony Blackburn or possibly Tony Robinson. I can think of no way that any other King Tony could make a comeback.