Go Hugh, never thought that he could have it in him to take them on like that, quite impressive for someone who I always thought was a bumbling idiot from the same mould as Boris Johnson.
Hats off to Hugh, though you should remember that he's a hugely successful actor who really doesn't like acting all that much, and who's hated the Press - particularly the tabloids - since forever.
Think about it - a clever, articulate, amusing and well-presented bloke sticking it to the low-life tabloid scum.....not exactly difficult for him to score points, is it?
And Boris the bumbling fool? Don't let the image fool you. He won a scholarship to Eton, a scholarship to Oxford, where he was President of the Union), and was editor of The Spectator by 35. He may be annoying, he may be a Tory, but don't ever make the mistake of thinking that he's an idiot.
He may be annoying, he may be a Tory, but don't ever make the mistake of thinking that he's an idiot.
Indeed. As was said during the mayoral campaign, he's an incredibly intelligent man masquerading as an idiot. Unlike his main competitor.....
And whilst we're on about Hugh and Boris, lets not forget that both ride bikes to work.. well let me clarify that, sometimes they ride bikes to work.
I dont think so given that the unemployed get 5 bedroom houses and £50k a year on the dole!
+
surfer = Daily Mail reader
Plagiarist more like it.
he's an incredibly intelligent man masquerading as an idiot.
Actually, he's academically clever flashy, we all know that. But he's still an idiot and a joke.
DD do you have a man crush?
It does annoy me that the media completely loses its objectivity when anything like this happens so the papers, TV and radio just turn into a staff newsletter for 48hrs.
Next up: A reporter talking to a reporter about what another reporter said to a reporter.
Do you know how easy it is to "hack" somebody's voicemail? Phone up, no reply, goes to voicemail, you hit asterisk, enter the password which is usually 2222 because nobody (not even these slebrities who are so protective of their privacy) bothers to change it and press 1 to listen to messages.
And that's a crime?
The bigger iisues will be:
1) Will the phone-tapping scandal ruin the 'proper' takeover of Sky News? Already heard some interesting arguments about how this is not a valid reason not to let him, but that morally 'right' decision may nevertheless be forced through.
2) MP's already getting fierier (is that really a word?) since yesterday, no longer as scared about what the tabloids will say and whether anyone is listening to them anyway. Which irrespective of political persuasion Can Only Be A Good Thing.
3) Cameron will need to do some serious literal and figurative reshuffling of his dinner party placecards. It will be most entertaining (if a little depressing ultimately) to see him distance himself from Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson, like a hungover teenage hearthrob the morning after he snogged the class minger. And her brother.
And that's a crime?
Yes. 2 years max sentence if you listen to the voicemail, 10 years max for deleting them.
[url= http://dataprotector.blogspot.com/2011/01/voicemail-hacking-whats-crime.html ]Clicky[/url]
I notice that sky news is actually displaying some "independent thinking" in the reporting of this story. I suspect that the "independent thinking" actually stems from instructions from Murdoch to put on a display of editorial separation and independence within his organisations.
Is anybody else noticing how the Police corruption aspect of this story seems to have (been) shuffled quietly off stage?
Woppit, yes indeed. I wonder what that's about.
Surely a part of it is the willingness of politicians/journalists/Hugh Grant to be interviewed, which somehow makes more 'sellable' news than ongoing specualtion about an organisation which closes ranks so effectivley. Basically shuffled offstage because it won't sell papers? Oh, my head hurts a bit now!
like a hungover teenage hearthrob the morning after he snogged the class minger. And her brother.
Quality! Post of the week methinks 😀
I suspect the press will have been told to leave the police corruption aspect alone, so as not to prejudiced any future trials with speculation about individual officers. I'd say its pretty certain, given the public anger, that they're not going to leave it to the useless and corrupt IPCC to try and sort out. It'll be an inquiry with a bit more teeth, and we will see some (probably senior) plod going down. Which should be nice for them.
Apparently the coppers who took over this investigation are bloody livid with the half-wits who made such a mess of it in the first place
he's an incredibly intelligent man masquerading as an idiot. Unlike his main competitor.....
Do you mean Red Ken (Cha Cha Cha)? Are you implying Ken isn't intelligent?
He is, and he's more clever than you is.
😐
Boris may be intelligent, but he is woefully ignorant of the needs of most of the people he is sposed to represent. He's more interested in self-promotion than in representing Londoners, it's painfully obvious.
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Yeah, cos opening a sweet shop and having yer pic taken with JLS and Andrea Burke is really representing Londoners and earning yer pay.... 🙄
Apparently the coppers who took over this investigation are bloody livid with the half-wits who made such a mess of it in the first place
The new team will sort it out no bother.
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"It was a very important part of British newspaper history. In the 19th Century it was one of the highest circulation papers catering for the newly [b]semi-literate population[/b]*," says Chris Horrie, tabloid newspaper historian
* and hasnt come much further since 😉
The new team will sort it out no bother.
How cynical of you MW. To be honest, I think the best we can hope for is that if they're pissed off enough, maybe they won't destroy all the evidence before anyone else gets to have a look at it. Maybe.
How cynical of you MW
My reply yesterday was certainly cynical. Today it was merely light hearted.
and hasnt come much further since
Stoner - I heard on the telly last night that the News of the World has (or had) the highest amount of readers from the AB social group than any other Sunday paper, ie, more readers in that social group than the Observer or the Sunday Times.
I don't why, but I was surprised.
Well, Coulson has now been arrested.
Looks like he's the sacrificial lamb.
Only hope of avoiding a huuuuge cover up is IF he's able to spill his guts.
Highly unlikely though: The police will know so much about his activities he'll be offered a deal if he avoids implicating the Met and Dave too badly.
Rebbecca Wade must have some serious dirt on Rupe (or at the very least James) for her to be getting this level of support. Its like an admission of guilt in itself, just to watch it.
He must be bricking it in case she spills the beans and blows the whole Sky deal out of the water
How is he the sacrificial lamb ? He was the editor of the newspaper at the time of the illegal hackings and police tip-offs. I would expect him to be the first person to be arrested.
good riddance to bad rubbish.
[looks for todays edition of Daily Mail]
[i]How is he the sacrificial lamb ? He was the editor of the newspaper at the time of the illegal hackings and police tip-offs. I would expect him to be the first person to be arrested. [/i]
and Rebekah Brooks was in the editor when the Millie Dowler phone was "hacked". I don't see the Met knocking on her door.
British Legion not too bothered about milly dowler and so forth until service personnel families became involved? A day or two late but hey-ho..
British Legion not too bothered about milly dowler and so forth until service personnel families became involved? A day or two late but hey-ho..
OK, you win the most cynical post of the day award for that one....
You're absolutely right grantus. Bastards aren't they? Bloody British legion! All they give a flying * about are the selfish tossers who layed down their lives for their country. Oh... and there families. The rest of us can just go and * ourselves can't we?
🙄
perhaps but they seemed to only focus on the fact that targeting the families of dead service personnel was a disgrace
whereas all other charitable institutions were laying into the news of the screws immediately 🙄
Maybe being left to pick up the pieces from said distraught 'families of dead service personnel', first hand, for the last week may have coloured their judgement somewhat? I'd imagine it would focus the mind.
They may like kittens and save trees and all sorts of other things too. Have you asked them?
If the British Legion were to officially comment on something not involving the armed forces they would have overstepped their remit. Their actions in this instance are entirely appropriate.
I'm quite disappointed in them not drawing attention to the Millie Dowler thing though. Especially seeing as nobody else had mentioned it
Each to their own.
Rebekah Brooks was in the editor when the Millie Dowler phone was "hacked". I don't see the Met knocking on her door.
What do you mean ? ...... you can't see the Met physically knocking on her door right now, or you can't imagine seeing the Met ever knocking on her door ?
If it is the latter, then it is perfectly feasible that she will be arrested in the future. I'm no expert but I believe that there has to be significant justification and consideration before someone is arrested - it helps if it's based on more than just a hunch.
Presumably News International's surprising extreme reluctance to sack Rebekah Brooks suggests that they believe that she has her arse sufficiently covered. And presumably the police will have their work cut out in proving a direct link between Brooks and illegal hackings and corrupt payments to coppers. I have no doubt at all that many third parties were involved in all of these dodgy shenanigans. We're not dealing with amateurs here.
[i]How is he the sacrificial lamb ? He was the editor of the newspaper at the time of the illegal hackings and police tip-offs. I would expect him to be the first person to be arrested. [/i]
Surely you should expect Brooks to be arrested as well following that logic.
I wonder if the Prime Minister clears his speaches on this subject with Rupert Murdoch's team first.
The police wouldn't arrest her in case she "slapped" them. We she did her ex hubby and hard man Ross Kemp which earned her the title "slapper" in the press. I believe she's got lots and lots of dirty information on some people at the top in lots of organisations and they're too frightened take her on and her cronnies because of the fall out. She's got info on Murdoch for sure and that's why he's backing her.
Do you not think she is there to stop the flak hitting James Murdoch?
She's shrewd as ****! I reckon she's ferreted away hard evidence that this went right the way to the very top of NI. To James and Rupe. And she's let them know that any hint that she's going to be the fall guy, and she'll go for the nuclear option
Surely you should expect Brooks to be arrested as well following that logic.
It's just a guess, but I'm thinking along the lines that the police have possibly a bit more to go on other than Andy Coulson was editor at the time. The only "logic" involved here is that it should come as no surprise that a former editor has been arrested - there's a reasonable assumption that they might have something on him.
The suggestion that the police would at this stage of development would only arrest Andy Coulson but would refuse to [i]immediately[/i] arrest Rebekah Brooks, despite having compelling reasons to do so, just because it is all part of an elaborate establishment cover-up in which it has been decided that Coulson will be sacrificial lamb just so Brooks can get away scot-free, is quite frankly ridiculous imo.
In case some people haven't noticed there will be a full and independent judicial inquiry into this scandal. So whatever has been happening until recently, any further cover-ups are out of the question. Unless of course you think that the independent judicial inquiry is also part of an elaborate establishment cover-up. In which case you probably also think that the Prince Philip ordered Princess Diana's death.
*dons tinfoil helmet and hides under the desk*
I don't buy newspapers - they are a waste of paper and ink and full of rubbish. One more has gone - good.
You don't like newspapers? Understandable, I suppose. What are your opinions about sweeping generalisations?
I think you might have missed the bit concerning newspapers being more than just paper and ink andy. The loss of a newspaper is almost always tragic. A world with no newspapers, or maybe just one or two newspapers, would be a disaster. Almost always the rule is the more newspapers, the better.
oops miss read the headline on the beeb, no longer in charge of the internal investigation
