The hacking trials aren’t even half the issue. The hard, unavoidable fact remains that the power of the Murdoch press – the real unspoken stain behind the Brooks-Coulson trials – is undiminished and has still not been broken. It is best illustrated by the run-up of events to the long-planned Murdoch campaign to take over […]
Posts Tagged ‘News International’
Dealing with the Murdoch empire requires far more than jailing Coulson
Jun 26th, 2014 by Michael Meacher.Coulson is only a medium-sized cog in the web of industrial scale phone-hacking, lying, deceit, and intimidation that is Murdoch’s News International. If this was any other company rather than one of themselves, the newspapers would be raising a hue and cry demanding a full public inquiry, resignations or sackings of key executives in the […]
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Hunt’s referral on ministerial code should be decided by Parliament, not PM
Jun 2nd, 2012 by Michael Meacher.On the face of it the evidence for referring Hunt to the independent adviser on the Ministerial code seems overwhelming. Hunt has always maintained his role was “quasi-judicial”, i.e. he should act like a judge in keeping his distance from all interested parties and certainly not showing favour to one of them. Yet, almost incredibly, […]
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How does one stop over-cosy relationships between politicians and media moguls?
May 31st, 2012 by Michael Meacher.Andy Coulson’s arrest for alleged perjury in the Tommy Sheridan trial isn’t just an embarrassment for Cameron. It raises a much wider and more difficult issue: how can a deeply insidious, unhealthy and toxic relationship between politicians and media proprietors – specifically the Tories (Thatcher), New Labour (Blair), the Tories again (Cameron) and Murdoch – […]
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It’s not Hunt’s neck that’s now on the line, it’s Cameron’s
May 13th, 2012 by Michael Meacher.The evidence revealing the inappropriately close relationship between Cameron and News International in the run-up to the BSkyB bid gathered pace in the last two days with the appearance of Coulson and Brooks before Leveson. First, there was Cameron’s insouciance about hiring Coulson to No.10 without thorough checks on what he may have known about […]
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Leveson chain reaction will reach No.10
Apr 26th, 2012 by Michael Meacher.In typically British Establishment manner Adam Smith, chief of staff to Jeremy Hunt, fell on his sword but not before uttering the the ritual words required to exculpate his master: “the content and extent of my contact (with News International) was done without authorisation from the Secretary of State”. Pull the other one. For over […]
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News International upholds probity? So be it
Mar 26th, 2012 by David Osler.The righteous, so the rabbinical maxim has it, have their work done for them. After yesterday’s Sunday Times so perfectly skewered the venality of the Conservative Party, all the average lefty need do is sit back with a big wide smirk on his or her face. Some commentators are suggesting that this operation was carefully […]
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Tabloids don’t have to be dumb
Dec 22nd, 2011 by David Osler.It’s week six of the Leveson inquiry, and I for one have stopped following the details. The precise circumstances in which Piers Morgan got to hear recordings of conversations between Heather Mills and Paul McCartney is a topic that will fascinate few of us. Yet my guess would be that the proceedings will so far […]
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One law for the powerful and another for the rioters
Aug 17th, 2011 by Michael Meacher.James Murdoch is now bang to rights. The latest evidence just revealed, the letter dated March 2007 from Clive Goodman appealing against his sacking by News International after he admitted phone hacking in court, reinforces the already compelling evidence that there was widespread knowledge at the News of the World over 4 years ago that hacking […]
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BSkyB and the banks are still putting up two fingers to Britain
Aug 1st, 2011 by Michael Meacher.Any idea that the humiliation of Murdoch has signalled the resurgence of regulatory and parliamentary power must be given short shrift. Two events today show how little has actually changed. It is almost incredible that James Murdoch received the unanimous support of the BSkyB board for continuing as chairman when he has acknowledged a major […]
