DEM not gonna CON dis NATION: Rolling UK politics in the short-lived Cleggeron era

I thought it all started with a story in the notw about either prince william or harry's knee operation which they could've only known about through voicemails

British Legion severs ties with News of the World

not quite rooney, but worth noting

I thought it started with the Prince's injured elbow, and someone thinking "hang on, nobody's discussed or even knows this except for the Prince and the bod he left a message for on their phone" or some such..

(xpost, obv)

"The paper that our boys don't support"

I thought it all started with a story in the notw about either prince william or harry's knee operation which they could've only known about through voicemails

― nate woolls, Thursday, 7 July 2011 10:57 (16 seconds ago) Bookmark

yeah but the inquiry was deliberately "ringfenced" to avoid implying any more than two people were at fault. it's the 2009 story that proved that hacking had been more widespread and that there was complicity between police and NI in a cover-up.

The presence of an unidentified rape victim on that list is pretty disturbing.

So, from a very small issue..

It's funny, this is playing out like Watergate, except that in this particular situation, no-one has come up with a handy one-word descriptor for this that ends in 'gate'. Which will be a first for stories of this kind..

seem to be one or two attempts at 'hackgate', but no-one's really going for it.

The main difference is that WGate was 'investigative journalism brings down President', and this is more "Powers-that-be bring down Newspaper"..

once more it’ll be like that bit at the end of The Prisoner where McGoohan takes control and yells out “This is our moment! You are free to go!” and everybody carries on exactly as normal and takes no notice.

I want to argue that this is too depressing and cynical but it's too OTM.

this is more "Powers-that-be bring down Newspaper"

don't really think said powers are the driving force here. also nothing brought down yet.

this is more like the political and journalistic equivalent of the end of the departed, with nick davies in the mark wahlberg role.

Also, yesterday in PMQs he came over very oddly. Even Miliband was able to get him all riled up. Just what has Brooks got on everyone?

That's no great achievement, it's easy to wind Cameron up, he's an arrogant cunt with a sense of entitlement a million miles high. News International will have everything on everyone within a 100 yards of this story.

True, but Miliband has seemed particularly inept at getting Cameron all red in the face.

He's particularly inept at most things

Fair enough.

ah man remember when there was a Labour party? kinda miss those guys

probably better for them that everyone has forgotten they exist during this

Your powers of recall are phenomenal, I must say (xp)

it's sad they was a socialists

i remember those guys. v disrespectful to families of dead servicemen iirc, wore donkey jackets on remembrance sunday.

haha wait Brooks is in charge of NOTW's "internal investigation"?

'After a thorough investigation, I can conclude that there was no wrongdoing at all and we're all squeaky clean', Brooks, 5 minutes ago.

'After a thorough investigation, I can conclude that I was on holiday at the time'

http://shop.amctv.com/images/products/21/6575-70.jpg

IT takes a special sort of person to be a copper.

You need tact, diplomacy, humour and good judgment.

You also need courage - bags of it.

Tonight, The Sun will lead the way in celebrating that courage at our 2011 Police Bravery Awards, organised with our friends in the Police Federation.

Earlier, the 59 nominees will meet the Prime Minister at a reception in Downing St.

The Awards are a highlight of The Sun's year. We are honoured to pass on the nation's thanks to those who keep our streets safe and put their lives on the line for the rest of us.

We are also delighted today's ceremonies are being marked by another welcome outbreak of Government common sense.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling tells The Sun that 999 workers need never again worry about falling foul of health and safety rules if they take risks to save lives.

That builds on last week's good news that nannying regulations spoiling school trips are being scrapped.

Tonight's ceremony will end with one officer being crowned Britain's bravest.

But throughout our country, coppers show heroism every day.

To them all, The Sun is proud to say: Thank you.

We will never forget the sacrifices you make to keep us safe.

In a hat.

IT takes a special sort of person to be a copper.

You need tact, diplomacy, humour and good judgment.

You also need money - bags of it, left behind the radiator in the waiting room in Victoria Station

facepalm.jpf on Brooks leading the internal investigation. Sheesh.

Man, I do a pub quiz with a guy who used to be a Met copper, I am dying to meet him and hear what he was to say on all this

and the Met commissioner in in charge of the Met investigation.. and Cameron is insisting that the parliamentary inquiry be headed by an MP.

so that's all right, then.

It's the British way

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14061332

I was coming here to post that very story!

i'm waiting for the bit where Thatcher walks out of the shower now and the last 21 years have been a dream

Hope she at least wears a towel.

You know what she's like these days, she'd forget her head if wasn't sewn on, tut tut

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14053649

A more detailed version of the Sheridan story

"lawyers for Jesus H. Christ, son of God, say the conviction on which his AD33 crucifixion was based may be thrown into doubt by new revelations that Andy Coulson had authorised payments to Sanhedrin investigators who stood very close to Mr Christ so as to overhear what he said to others in private conversation"

Some hilarious trolling: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/07/david-cameron-protect-rightwing-newspapers

Mr Coulson, who was then Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications, gave evidence that he had no knowledge of illegal activities, including payments to police officers.

^ this is him fucked, basically

Exactly.

One reason why Britain is a conservative nation is that newspapers like the Sun, Mail and Express champion the public mood.

SNP should use this in their next campaign literature

the Sheridan thing was such a stitch-up from start to finish, it merits an entire miniseries all its own

He kinda stitched himself up by being a lying sleazeball tbh

was about to say

Yeah, but it's that old tradition of "fabricating or getting evidence by illegal means is alright if the defendant really is guilty anyway"

not gonna get into that discussion; also not gonna get worked up about people lying about sex

While everyone pulls out of advertising qith the NOTW, The Sun seems to have escaped unscathed. I presume it's because they didn't do any phone hacking.