Blair at Leveson

Whilst this was a master class in political savvy and presentation it was not what was said as much as what was said! For example Blair said no deals were made or implied with Rupert Murdoch, there didn't need to be any. Murdoch made his views perfectly known over the years, not least in Sun editorials. Blair knew what Murdoch wanted, in some respects it echoed his politics and he knew what may be expected. Nothing needed to be implied even Bullying journalists by No 10 spin doctors! Well there is enough evidence to say it happened, but again Blair did not need to know, but I suspect there was a sense of disingenuousness here, as with Blair's statements on Murdoch Where Blair is spot on is where he attacks the Daily Mail. The problem there, as with a no of tabloids, and we know which ones, is that when they go for someone they go full them with full venom to the point where if they claim morality the word "Pharisee" springs to mind! So what we have here is seeing a situation where no deals are made with Murdoch because his views are known already and Murdoch knew his political views would be considered. Any criticism from other stables would be silenced through the Machiavellian machinations of spin doctors, and yet not all criticism was valid. Some of the media in general, whether in the Murdoch stable or not, are feral, viciously arrogant, and out of control. Blair is right on one count. The culture of certain aspects of the media need to change

Peter Mandelson at Leveson Inquiry

Nothing that hasn't been covered already, but it does remind us that a) The relationships between senior politicians and newspaper proprietors was unhealthy, 2) That some of the press behaved like the secret police in a dictatorship,  and 3) That Tessa Jowell was in a job where she was possibly not expected to do much and certainly was undermined at various points.
Tom Watson's points at Leveson were certainly fascinating. Murdoch was likely to have been briefed, although that is an allegation, that News International behaved like a floating voter with menace, and that while there was no hard evidence there was a "craven understanding" between senior politicians and NI execs (something which Mandelson touched on yesterday). He then added that NI were paying for a great deal of Mulcare's legal fees and that he has yet to meet a politician who wants to regulate the press.
None of this is new as such, but it does re-enforce the need for a regulated system and that for too long some in the media have behaved like the stasi with swaggering arrogance whilst pretending to be Woodward and Bernstein. It needs to stop and soon!

The Media Reform Rally

Last night I attended the Media Reform Rally at Westminster Central Hall, as organised by Hacked Off. It was a seminar in just how feral the press can get.
The rollcall of speakers each gave their own experiences and perspectives. Some frightening, in how the press can tread over people's lives in order to get their own way in a manner which would do the secret police in a dictatorship proud. In fact the former Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hunt nearly burst into tears when relating her story.
Owen Jones spoke about the need for better Union representation and that Murdoch's attack on the unions made it hard for staff to stand up for themselves or speak out within the News Corp environment.
Former Daily Star reporter, Richard Peppiat, who resigned from the Desmond stable and gave a public letter giving his reasons to The Guardian, stated that the media defence of their behaviour is rather pathetic when you look at it, that it is like defending public hangings because they draw a good crowd and that they are hardly holding the powerful to account when tabloids playing guessing games as to which soap actress's knickers are on the bedroom floor of which footballer!

 Hugh Grant made the important point that, in the flurry of reports about horses and texts one can easily forget that there is more than one newspaper group involved in using dubious resources to make stories. The motorman files make that clear, he said, and that more than one paper used a convicted criminal for their information.Why, he asked, has not one journalist been prosecuted?

Harriet Harman looked at the relationships between politicians and journalists, that Jeremy Hunt has shown that he was not prepared to obey the rules and the law and that this is an historic opportunity to solve these problems and make sure that neither politicians or press get too powerful. She suggested a "knife amnesty" for the press in getting to the root of finding out what happened!

Tom Watson was one of the last speakers and was cool, calm, and stated the obvious in a meaningful way as per usual. Such as asking what do we know about the Murdoch empire that we didn't ten years ago? What does it take for someone to be declared unfit to run a public company? Plus that politicians will come under enormous pressure to dilute Leveson's proposals and we must not let that happen!Later I got a chance to speak with Tom Watson and he stated further on the need for public support. One through letter writing, and sending postcards (such as advertised by Hacked Off) to one's local MP. The other is to make full use of Twitter and Facebook in helping to share information and putting the pressure on the press and politicians alike to bring forward the results that are needed.
Much food for thought and the end, and a reminder that many of us have a role to play and there is much left to do!

Alastair Campbell at Leveson Inquiry

Whilst Campbell was being his usual urbane self, it does seem a bit disingenuous.Surely if it was a good idea to have good relations with Rupert Murdoch, then that would surely mean he'd expect something and if he expected something and good relations were seen as vital, that would mean that Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell were prepared to offer sweetners to Rupert Murdoch?
I do hope I have misread that!

Jeremy Hunt's Alleged Unethical Behaviour!

I wasn't too surprised, although somewhat dismayed by James Murdoch's comments (or revelations) regarding Jeremy Hunt yesterday and given Hunt's previous open enthusiasm for the Murdoch empire this does look damming. Dismayed? Well in that I would expect a cabinet minister to behave better!
Jeremy Hunt has never hid his bias for News Corp. That was why there was widespread concern from many of us when Vince Cable was forced to quit. This bias has now appeared to shown itself  in his discussions with a Murdoch aide shows that, like the way some MP's conducted themselves over expenses, if Hunt strictly speaking did nothing wrong, he certainly behaved in an unethical and immoral manner and, also taking into account is proclaimed support for News Corp in previous years, he should resign!

Tuesday Round-Up

James Murdoch giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry. Can be found here

Plus Ten Questions for Rupert Murdoch Next Week from James Macintyre