Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Andrew Neil, he of the weetabix thatch, made a good point on this evening's Newsnight report on the Andy Coulson/phonetapping scandal which was emerging in The Guardian. Apart from saying that it was inconceivable that an editor would not know about the sort of behaviour The Guardian were alleging took place, Neil also pointed out that if similar behaviour had been discovered and proven in the United States, News International would face a "class action" suit which would run into tens, if not hundreds of millions of pounds. There's more here:
Among those whose privacy apparently was illegally violated when British Telecom was conned into handing over their addresses and/or ex-directory numbers are Nigella Lawson (four times); Patsy Kensit; Jude Law and Sadie Frost; Lisa Snowdon (three times); Anne Robinson and her former partner; Carol Caplin; Lenny Henry; Vanessa Feltz; Lord Mountbatten's grandson; and witnesses to the murder of Jill Dando, thus potentially interfering with the course of a live police inquiry.
David Cameron's chief press adviser, Andy Coulson, is not named in any of the suppressed evidence. However, the paperwork shows that during the time when he was editor of the News of the World, and contrary to News Group's earlier denials, editorial staff for whom he was responsible were involved with private investigators who engaged in illegal phone-hacking; and that when Coulson was deputy editor, reporters and executives were commissioning multiple purchases of confidential information, which is illegal unless it is proved to be in the public interest. Couldn't happen to a nicer nest of vipers. The reaction of all those Tories who were so sickened by the behaviour of Damien MacBride, will be watched with some interest. Prepare for the Sound of Silence. (shhhhhhhh)
Bob, I think a lot of people suggest that Andrew Neil's 'hair' is in fact a brillo pad. I think that is very hurtful and unkind. It much more closely resembles a weetabix.
The behaviour of the NoW was in the finest traditions of Grub Street and long may it continue to sink its yellowed teeth into the high and mighty. The mistake is for poacher hacks to become gamekeeper politicians.
Hello Duffers, nice to see you back. We have missed your particular brand of right-wing deluded nonsense. I always find it interesting that those in the media, along with right-wing libertarian bloggers, squeal like stuck pigs if a local authority spies on people who are illegally being a downright feckin' nuisance to their neighbours, screaming about a 1984 police state, yet calmly accept the filth that masquerade as journalists to happily trawl through people's waste bins in search of as 'story'.
They are the people who are usually unable to distinguish between a story in the public interest... and a story which interests the public. A matter which Max Moseley can talk at some length about.
"The reaction of all those Tories who were so sickened by the behaviour of Damien MacBride, will be watched with some interest."
Ummm is there a difference between McBride's getting caught in the act while working for the Labour party and the(as yet) unsubstantiated claims relating to Coulson's previous career before going to work for the Tories?
It's a pain isn't it, this "innocent until proven guilty lark?" That said, if there is any evidence then he should go.
"long may it continue to sink its yellowed teeth into the high and mighty."
All very well when it is the "high and mighty". More often, though, it's some poor defenceless schmuck who has, to pick a random example, lost their daughter in tragic and difficult circumstances.
Not so ticklishly amusing then, is it?
Still, as Bob says, keep repeating the mantra: "Gummint baaaaaad, Aussie billionaire goooooood" and everything will be okay.
I wrote briefly and in haste earlier so to clarify; it is absolutely crucial that in an age where the great and the not-so-good try every trick in the book to keep the truth about themselves well hidden (see: House of Commons, Max Mosely, etc, passim), that the well-named 'gutter' press do their job by fair means or foul. If they actually break the law they should answer for it. However, the attempts by sundry people in fear of exposure (see examples above) to pressure dim-witted judges into changing the law against the press outside of Parliament should be strongly resisted. The press must be free to operate and to make mistakes from time to time. A perfect press only exists in North Korea!
On the second point, I think, as in so many other examples, it is a mistake for poachers to become game-keepers. The likes of Campbell and Coulson should stick to their own territory. Cameron displayed poor judgment - again - by appointing Coulson to his team. For the moment nothing is proven against Coulson and so he should not be fired, but the minute it is, Cameron should pull the trigger - assuming he knows which way to point the gun!
I have to admire our Duff; the anti-establishment establishment man. Damning the political esrtablishment and praising the Murdoch press.
Duff, do the good and not-so good, include the likes of Lenny Henry and Elle Mcpherson? Bob has got you bang to rights on this one, when Damien Green was arrested you were screaming yourself hoarse,today a murdoch newspaper and Camerons Press officer are implicated in wiretapping and your view; they were going after the right people? Even you know thats bollocks.
Everyone has the right to privacy Duff, no matter who they are, surely you can't disagree with that?
Mr. O'Keefe, you have, rather wisely in my view, restricted posting on your own blog to once every 3 weeks. Unfortunately it seems to have left you with a residue of energy to rush over here in a state of high excitement. "Calm down, dear, you have sunk your milk teeth into the wrong end of the stick - again!
I did not 'scream myself hoarse' over the activities of Mr. McBride and even if I had, it has no bearing on this case because Mr. McBride is not, and never has been, a working journalist. In that particular case, a group of politicians and their 'enforcers' had attempted to spread lies concerning their political opponents and their families.
In the current case we are reading that newspapers (not a political cabal) were using dubious means to uncover the truth concerning several people in the public eye. I would rather have a mis-behaving press than a dutiful one that obeys the diktats of the political class.
Again (sorry reader but with Mr. O'Keefe it is always necessary to repeat things several times before it sinks in), I stated that in my view it was an error for Cameron to employ a man with Coulson's background. I said much the same of Blair and Campbell.
Fair comment, Duff, I was way over the top and have attributed wrongfully a political statement/position that you did not and have never made, so I will retract and apologise.
However Duff, a misbehaving press or a wiretapping press is not worth having, even if you prefer them to that westminister bunch. This is a criminal conspiracy involving a major media group, thirty-one journos and payments of thousands to criminals. I would advise you not to come to their defence, lest they come after you having gained all your personal data.
After this Duff, I think it would be in everyones interest to have more constraints on the press; and legal aid for the public to sue them for using their personal data.
Hang on a minute, I didn't say you screamed yourself hoarse over McBride, you did scream stasi over Damien Greens arrest.
I am going to retract the above retraction and apology, you cheeky get. Note to self: read the whole thread before responding to your patronising drivel.
July 8, 2009 11:21 PM | permalink
The Andrew Neil who left News International/Corp on less than happy grounds?
Not that I disagree with what he's saying, but it's worth remembering.