[Update] The News Corp scandal

I don't care at all who was more wrong than the other.I just want the Murdoch influence to be at an end whomever is in power.Pointing fingers is NOT the way to go..

The way to go is forward and to get the press/media,politicians and police back in their respective boxes with some sort of workable media authority with teeth and some sort of oversight committee to keep the politicians at a distance from the media.

I also believe that the private investigator community needs sorting out as well with a very firm ethical code

What to do about keeping other members of public bodies under control such as were bought and corrupted by the instigators of the Dark Arts I'm not sure.

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Theresa May giving evidence at the moment.

I agree with both of you. Ultimately this was why what Blair said was interesting, he was directing is own party and it's leadership not to use the inquiry as a political tool. If it seems to be partisan then it will be harder to get anything done and this all would have been a waste of time of money.

Gove giving evidence..As a former journalist with a journalist wife seems to have a nicely incestuous relationship with the Murdochs and Brooks.

[devilincarnate]

I did not watch today but I bet this was good?

The case for more regulation of the press needs to be very strong "before we further curtail liberty", Michael Gove has told the Leveson Inquiry.

The education secretary said he was "concerned about any prior restraint and on their [journalists'] exercising of freedom of speech."

He said existing laws should be used to judge individuals and institutions.

Lord Justice Leveson said he did "not need to be told about the importance of free speech".

"But I am concerned that the effect of what you say might be that you are in fact taking the view that behaviour which everybody so far in this inquiry has said is unacceptable, albeit not necessarily criminal, has to be accepted because

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18245965

Well I fell about at Alistair Campbell's tweet.

That extraordinary moment when a very clever judge realises the man in charge of our children's education is a well spoken idiot

Vince Cable and Kenneth Clarke today.

Ken usually provides a laugh or two.

And Vince is up first.

[Russ]

Coulson's in trouble

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-west-18262740

This puts me in a very good mood

[gba93]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Well I fell about at Alistair Campbell's tweet.

Just goes to prove you can fool some of the people all of the time (and with Gove it appears all too easy):

Mr Gove was asked about Mr Murdoch potentially backing a free school - one of Mr Gove's key policies as education secretary - saying he believed the media tycoon's interest was "purely philanthropic".

Now Gove's true intentions come to light:

He did admit, however, that he was open-minded on such free schools making a profit, unlike other members of the coalition.

Does this worry anybody apart from me?

I wonder if Cameron is still as cool about employing Coulson?

I'm also wondering just how many others can be proved to have committed perjury..

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18262229

The editors of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror have been made redundant as the two newspapers merge into one title, it has been announced.

Two new editors will also be hired to run the weekday and weekend editions.
The publisher said both roles would report to Mr Embley and the new appointments, together with a new editor for The People, would be announced "imminently".

I wonder if this or this had any bearing on the decision to hire new editors instead of keeping them on as editors.

Originally Posted by gba93

Just goes to prove you can fool some of the people all of the time (and with Gove it appears all too easy):

Mr Gove was asked about Mr Murdoch potentially backing a free school - one of Mr Gove's key policies as education secretary - saying he believed the media tycoon's interest was "purely philanthropic".

Now Gove's true intentions come to light:

He did admit, however, that he was open-minded on such free schools making a profit, unlike other members of the coalition.

Does this worry anybody apart from me?

I have a huge problem with free schools making a profit - I don't have a problem with them making a surplus, which is then re-invested in the school facilities and infrastructure, but not a profit to be paid to staff/owners.

[BenMcr]

So let me get this right?

Private schools which (as I understand it) for the most part generate their own income and reinvest surplus as they are charities = bad

Schools which are publicly funded but not publicly controlled and can potentially take money out of local authorties for profit = good

Let's not stray from the topic please.

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Ken Clarke currently giving evidence at Leveson. Leveson having trouble getting a word in..

[denphone]

Vince Cable: Lib Dems faced 'veiled threats' over Murdoch's BSkyB bid.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...doch-bskyb-bid

Vince Cable has told the Leveson inquiry that Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation made "veiled threats" that if he did not approve the company's BSkyB takeover his Liberal Democrat party would be "done over" by its newspapers.

The business secretary – who was responsible for adjudicating on the Sky bid in its early stages – said that he had heard about the company's apparently aggressive stance "directly and indirectly from colleagues", who he did not name.

Cable added that he thought "somebody used the phrase 'done over' by the News International press" and that "I took those things seriously."

He said that he believed that the threats emerged "in conversation" between Lib Dem colleagues and News Corp lobbyist Frédéric Michel, adding "but I can't be absolutely certain".

Pressed by Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, if Michel's name was "expressly mentioned to you" by, Cable said that "it was at that stage, yes indeed".

The cabinet minister said that he told by "one individual" that Michel had said this "but he told me in confidence and I don't want to breach that confidence".

He added that he refused to be intimidated by these veiled threats in his handling of the News Corp/BSkyB deal.

[Derek]

Coulson has been charged with perjury.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-west-18262740

Prime Minister David Cameron's former director of communications Andy Coulson has been arrested by police and charged with perjury.

Mr Coulson, 44, has now been released, after being detained at his London home at 06:30 BST by Strathclyde Police.

Whilst this makes me smile and gives me a warm glow inside I do hope it doesn't mean Tommy Sheridan wins any appeal against his perjury conviction.