Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

Goodbye Andy. And good riddance

Some random thoughts on Coulson’s resignation.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 21 January 2011 14:19

1) Where's Jo Moore these days? Remember the good ol' "good day to bury bad news" and 9/11? The problem for the Tories is that the news hasn't been buried – by Blair's return appearance at the Iraq inquiry or by Alan Johnson's resignation as shadow chancellor – and is leading all the bulletins, even on the BBC, which basically ignored the story for as long as it could.

2) That Coulson couldn't spin his own departure in a suitable manner speaks volumes about his skills (or lack thereof) as a top-level spinner.

3) That Cameron decided to back his director of communications so publicly – on Monday morning's Today programme – less than 72 hours before Coulson handed in his resignation speaks volumes about the Prime Minister's political judgement (or lack thereof) and so, too, of course, does his decision to hire Coulson in the first place.

4) It's been a bad 24 hours for the Chancellor, George Osborne. He'll have to raise his departmental game as he's now facing Ed Balls across the despatch box – Labour's most formidable economist (just ask Samuel Brittan of the FT!) and a brilliant political strategist, too. Plus, Boy George is the man who convinced Cameron to hire Coulson in order to (re-)build relations with the Murdoch empire and the right-wing press. Bad move.

5) Vince Cable's "war" against the Murdoch empire may have backfired but hats off to the Guardian's Nick Davies and the Labour MPs Tom Watson and Chris Bryant for leading the charge against the News of the World and the pathetic efforts by the Murdoch and Coulson apologists to shut this story down.

6) The Press Complaints Commission, the CPS and Scotland Yard should all hang their heads in shame and I'm sure they'll have to, at some stage in the near future. This story ain't going away.

7) On the issue of resignations, isn't it fascinating, in this era of leaks, gossip, 24-hour news channels, blogs and tweets, that both Labour and the Tories were able to keep their respective resignations (of Johnson and Coulson) under wraps and leak-proof? Johnson told Ed Mili that he was quitting on Monday; Coulson told Cameron he was standing down on Wednesday.

8) My then colleague James Macintyre predicted that Coulson would be gone within six months . . . four months ago. Semi-prophetic.

9) The political obituaries of Coulson seem to be glossing over his "bullying" of colleagues while editor of the News of the World. If you need a reminder, check out my NS column from September 2010 for the details.

10) Who succeeds Coulson as the Tories' – and the government's – spinner-in-chief? Will Cameron go for a Murdoch empire appointee? Ironically, Ed Miliband did (in the form of the ex-Times hack Tom Baldwin). Is the ex-Sun political editor George Pascoe-Watson the natural replacement? Or will it be the more thoughtful and Cameroonian ex-speechwriter and former Indie deputy editor Ian Birrell? Will the Lib Dems get a say in the appointment? Just kidding . . .

Tags: Phone hacking scandal Andy Coulson Conservatives David Cameron media

More from Mehdi Hasan

View the discussion thread.

71 comments

Fri, 2011-01-21 15:46 — Eileen2

How very typical of the left to rejoice in someone else's misery.

So you've not read the reactions of the Daily Express readers to Alan Johnson's personal misery?
How typical of the right to only see one side fo a story.

Fri, 2011-01-21 15:53 — PJW (not verified)

Gone, but where to? I'd like to hear Medhi Hasan's thoughts on where Coulson might go now, and with what effect. If it's back to News Int, what problems might that give Cameron? Three years of intimate inside knowledge of the growth of Cameron must be highly interesting to Rupe at any time. Especially now.

And might that line of thinking explain why Cameron was loyal to him so long? It was difficult having him in the tent, but being outside would far, far worse. Whaddyathink?

Sun, 2011-01-23 15:41 — jie4v7i14

By the way, my father was named after Ray Milland from Briton Ferry in South Wales, Raymond, honest..

the video, if you have not seen it yet... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-9WXuDcsvQ

Fri, 2011-01-21 15:56 — ST (not verified)

Eileen, when your only defence is to lash out with allegations of hypocrisy, you really ought to give up.

Sun, 2011-01-23 15:44 — jie4v7i14

Ray Milland - got into some interesting ladies knickers - AHEM! Grace Kelly- AHEM!

Sun, 2011-01-23 15:45 — jie4v7i14

Very, very, very naughty boy.

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:01 — Des Demona (not verified)

St ,.....um you started it by being a dick.

Sat, 2011-01-22 12:12 — Toriez r baaaad (not verified)

@I want to be a serf - lolz

Sat, 2011-01-22 12:15 — Winniethepooh

'Gone, but where to? I'd like to hear Medhi Hasan's thoughts on where Coulson might go now, and with what effect.'
Don't need brains for this one - warmonger Blair - ME 'Peace' Envoy; Coulson - lets open a book on Head of Press Complaints Council, Head of Protecting Privacy in the Digital Age, or Professor of Journalism Ethics.

Sat, 2011-01-22 12:19 — eeyorn (not verified)

Hey serf, sticks and stones my friend.
Is there any chance of you adding to the debate with something approaching rational thinking? No, thought not

Sat, 2011-01-22 12:28 — Joseph A (not verified)

If anyone wants to know how wide the gulf is between the public and Fleet Street, who are suppose to be the intermediaries to the politicians, then the amount of column space devoted to Andy Coulson demonstrates it neatly.

Here is someone who did not have any role in policy making, wasn't a minister, in a non-job with a title like 'director of communications'. Nobody cared when he was in number 10, and nobody cares he has gone.

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:21 — ST (not verified)

Des, why does the left need conflict to survive?

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:22 — Des Demona (not verified)

@ ST
Why does the right pick violets in the rain?

Grow up.

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:43 — ST (not verified)

Not sure that really answer my question, but no worries.

I think it's weird that the Left is celebrating this as a victory. Personally, regardless of which party is in power, I want the best people helping them, and now we don't have that.

Sat, 2011-01-22 13:44 — kingfelix (not verified)

@josephA

This has been the right-wing line right the way through, thinking that you can simply assert what people care about and what they do not.

Ok. I don't believe the British people care about you or your opinion. Now fuck off.

Tue, 2011-01-25 00:31 — Roger Dodger (not verified)

Yeah standards have slipped. Let's get back to the good old days where the worst a spin doctor would do was drive a world-class expert and dedicated civil servant to suicide.

Coulson may have done something shady, but he did what every other editor was doing and he lost his job for it before hand. I am not sorry he has gone, but this latest chunk of lefty hypocrisy is as unedifying as all the rest.

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:59 — Des Demona (not verified)

@ST
Ohhhhh dear
This isn't a matter of left or right. This is a matter concerning someone who is deeply implicated in extremely dubious activities not getting away with it. If it was someone on the left I'd be equally happy that they had been brought to book.
I'm rather surprised you aren't. Unless of course you are just being deliberately provocative, but that can't be the case can it?

Tue, 2011-01-25 00:46 — Des Demona (not verified)

@ Roger Dodger

I agree, and I think it's fair to say that most neutral observers think they are all scum.

Fri, 2011-01-21 17:08 — AJT (not verified)

Wasn't Andy Coulson's departure leaked by someone who told Tom Watson MP? He predicted over on Labour Uncut that the working date for his departure was the 25th of January, but perhaps someone decided that it would be only a minor story today...

Fri, 2011-01-21 17:24 — mcquade

This one isn't going to go away so readily (quite literally as Coulson is staying in N° 10 "for a few weeks") and will will only further aggravate the situation. A sitting duck for the opposition to exploit and yet another bad judgment call by Camreon. Once he'd resigned, he should have left. Now it can fester.

Fri, 2011-01-21 17:32 — ST (not verified)

It's not pleasure at misery, it's at seeing a corrupt individual get their deserves. That you don't see that says a lot. Your silly framing isn't going to fly. Have a fun weekend.

p.s. Coulson the best? Ho ho ho.

Sat, 2011-01-22 15:58 — Hugh Markey (not verified)

Now the 'rag' has gone, can we speak to the engineer?

Apprentice

Tue, 2011-01-25 03:21 — stuart (not verified)

ahh well,andy coulson and alan johnston the only 2 people with working class backgrounds brought up and lived on council estates and have the finger on what problems working class people have to suffer in todays soceity, and medhi the self important i guess middle class brought up with a silver spoon in his mouth celebrates there departure just says more about the warped thinking of medhi hassan,what is up with you medhi pouring scorn on working class people from different politacal backgrounds like andy coulson and alan johnston,,just dont make sense to me..

Sat, 2011-01-22 17:21 — Eddy S (not verified)

this had to be a fleet street, journalist thing and many other papers may have used the voicemail hack - papers like the sunday people, mirror and star for example. these papers get juicy gossip the country loves to read. i reckon there's alot of people staying quiet.

Fri, 2011-01-21 17:17 — mcquade

"Personally, regardless of which party is in power, I want the best people helping them, and now we don't have that."

Best people, a bullying phone-hacker with no respect for the privacy and liberty of others? Go away you pathetic little hypocrite and cry on the shoulders of your pals on ConHome.

Fri, 2011-01-21 17:49 — ST (not verified)

Oh wow, I have a doppelganger! Flattered!

Sat, 2011-01-22 18:00 — Stuart Madewell (not verified)

Those people who want to show their appreciation for Andy Coulson can do so by leaving a message on their voicemail

Tue, 2011-01-25 12:19 — Intellectual42 (not verified)

Comparisons between the resignations of Alan Johnson and Andy Coulson are largely without basis.

The dubious Mr Coulson resigned ignominiously on account of the mounting evidence of his personal involvement in the phone hacking scandal. Mr Johnson, however, is a man of utter integrity who took the brave decision to resign for very sad personal reasons.

To draw parallels between the two is unwise.

Sat, 2011-01-22 23:21 — Tom Paine (not verified)

As Coulson will be presumably be moving from the inside pissing out to the outside pissing in, who is to be his next employer?

Not ACPO, surely?

Fri, 2011-01-21 20:00 — jie4v7i14

Tidy Mehdi, and watch the slime trail he leaves behind as he finally walks for the last time from number 10.

An abhorrent character, that I would like to meet on a side lane off Fleet Street, on a dark night, after the pub's shut. He's a worthless chancer character, that shouldn't have got near OUR Downing Street, let alone the Borough of Westminster.

Fri, 2011-01-21 21:02 — USTA KEBAB (not verified)

Ain't ST such a sweety eh. Why are you defending this man? This man spent hours rejoicing in the misery of others....you aren't Andy are you?

Fri, 2011-01-21 21:31 — Jake Ryan (not verified)

I don't go for knocking excellent journalists, of who Mehdi Hasan is definitely one, but this is a poor outing.

Point (or joke?) two is feeble. The word 'random' in the title is, too.

And the glorious Guardian/Observer titles were found to have carried out phone hacking as well.

The rest is ok, if not unusually lacking qualification and nuance - a blend of cod-serious points and witheringly tepid humour.

Fri, 2011-01-21 21:42 — Carl Boyd (not verified)

Whatever happened to journalists questionning the establishment and not trying to be part of it? Coulson just sums up the arrogance of this Tory led coalition.

Fri, 2011-01-21 21:49 — matthew fox (not verified)

@ Mehdi Hasan,

I am sure Paul Staines is favourite to be head of No10 Communications.

He ticks all the boxes, good at spinning a story, can use his well-established relationship with Nick Robinson, and has no problem appearing on Newsnight ( well sort of )

Fri, 2011-01-21 21:52 — David Ross (not verified)

@ Carl Boyd

He's not the first.
Carbon copy of New Labour's disgraced spin doctor.

Sun, 2011-01-23 10:28 — Barny

All too true.

Sun, 2011-01-23 10:33 — Barny

I am blocked from posting in response to Mehdi's defence of Warsi but could post okay above. Here's my comment:

Sun, 2011-01-23 10:36 — Barny

Keyword block?? bleh

Mon, 2011-01-24 13:55 — Clem the Gem

@ST - Yes, we lefties laugh at this kind of misery - whilst the Coalition partners create it for the rest of us. You witless fool.
http://clemthegem.wordpress.com/

Fri, 2011-01-21 22:11 — Reginald-Fah-fah

It's a black day for us Tories!

Yesterday was a marvellous day making Ed Balls the Shadow Chancellor!

Sun, 2011-01-23 11:25 — jie4v7i14

Of lord, I posted a load of rubbish the other night - can or two too many of beer, again.

Anyway, Coulson has been walking on custard for a long time, and now he is sinking, finally. As I said before, what Cameron was doing hanging out with this bloke is beyond me, comparing to his little world of reasoning abilities, it truely is.

We can only ask, does this reflect how we are being governed at this present time? Very Sarah Palin it is.

Fri, 2011-01-21 22:30 — Fruininut

The left and right are identical... ! to choose one or the other is to have not understood.

Fri, 2011-01-21 23:13 — jie4v7i14

A girl with bigger balls than Cameron and that slimey shit Coulson, this is what you call wonderful, from New Zealand, singing songs, proper non-Cameron brit songs,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeCTV-VHWp4

Fri, 2011-01-21 23:16 — jie4v7i14

this one, wahey,

bastard mi have it again, I am catching up on you, and, and,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRV56U22298

Sat, 2011-01-22 00:03 — Red Rag

Why is this such a shock, it's not like you shouldn't have known it was coming, you just need to know where to look."Coulson will be gone within 48 hours", You cannot get more definitive than that.

http://redrag1.blogspot.com/2011/01/red-rag-gotcha.html

Sun, 2011-01-23 14:19 — Stephen Camfield (not verified)

It has not been buried because the truth has been told, which unfortunately Marxists like MH are unable to fathom having had 13 years of outright lies from the Labour Party, and its' henchman Goebbels, sorry Campbell. I have only read such crap as this in the Morning Star, sorry, I mean Guardian

Sun, 2011-01-23 14:41 — swatantra

He tried to bury the news but failed miserably. It still made the lead story, on a day of strong stories.
Coulson is a disgrace as is the NoW and its readers who buy into that kind of gutter journalism.