Murdoch-watch: how the mogul's papers are covering today's row online
It's been a bad day for the Tories -- and the police
By James Macintyre Published 06 September 2010 19:06
It is perhaps unsurprising that the News of the World is not covering today's drama in the Commons over the phone tapping scandal engulfing the paper, even though its website has a rolling news service for the week as well as on Sundays.
Slightly less excusable is the fact that the Sun isn't touching it either, at present. Its political editor was in the press gallery for the Commons exchanges however, so we can assume it will be covered in tomorrow's paper, to be fair.
Only the Times has a piece on it, albeit one relegated below the news that Tony Blair is pulling out of a book signing later this week.
As the papers work out how to cover this story, Tory press officers are meanwhile asking journalists "how bad" it is.
The first day back after the summer for MPs has -- for the first time in recent memory -- been a decisively bad one for the Tory party, the Murdochs and the police.
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20 comments
Funny that most of the newspapers didn't cover this, even though it was aired live by sky news and bbc for approx 1 hr. This is blatant censorship of a story that could bring down this government and that's why. Thanks to the Newstatesman and the Guardian, we will keep this important story going, until Coulson admits his lies.
"slightly less excusable" james? The press not touching these stories is probably very common. My HOUSE PLUS has certainly been bugged, I've complained, my WORK has been stolen, I've complained, and I certainly didn't see any pressing questions from you about the bbcs effect on my rights, so are we POSSIBLY james, looking at a situation, where what goes around, is about to come around?
With regard to the mets concern for trigger happy mandys pals, they're being severely cut back by the torys. It would be hilarious if I didn;t think it might also effect me, thanks to your bastd pal ed balls and his grip on your economy. TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.
If you all end up in the same situation as me, IN A CHARITY, which is where I reside, after some of the hilarity and sweet talking you have done to a labour party in deep legal trouble, (leadership contest!) will I laugh? Have you? Alan Bstard indeed.
They are not touching it because only left whingers (sic) like yourself are talking about it and trying to give it some legs and plausible relevance.
Its old. Its dead. Move along Mister.
Unfortunately for all the Tribal Tories about, it's not old, it certainly aint dead, and I can't wait 'til Coulson is forced to resign. Nick Clegg wants to find his backbone and get stuck into this as well.
@TC If its not dead then why are the only people covering it from the left of politics such as the New Statesman, Guardian, C4 and the BBC.
I thoughtthe Labour party was supposed to be trying to convince us that their soon to be elected leader might one day be PM.There is no scandal until the NYT hand over their evidence. So far, they have refused!
"If its not dead then why are the only people covering it from the left of politics such as the New Statesman, Guardian, C4 and the BBC."
C4 and the BBC from the left?? I don't think so. Besides, you won't find all the other media outlets (firmly to the right) covering the story for obvious reasons. And as for the Murdoch press - well, The Times was once a journal of record and I remember when the Sunday Times was a truly great newspaper.
to quote the inverness constabulary representative the night they threw me in the cells after I was nearly killed outside a pub, "there's an X on your door, and if the place burns down tomorrow, no-one would give a shit." exact words. The papers I have approached have refused to print it.
Why now that the labour party is the X party, and more so after the state of the legal and financial emergency we now find ourselves in, should they be treated any differently?
They hung sadamm for war crimes. Tony Blair flirted with the iraqies over that one. The army, who were told they would not have to face their actions by John Reid, who also encouraged sectarianism very publicly, have released 1.9 tons of radioactive misery on iraq. The X army, the X labour party, and for playing devils advocate, I think it's about time to Xpose the bbc, which James, you most certainly have not done, and the ONLY excuse for that I can find, is the fact that if you ask the wrong questions you won't get another interview. Either that or you want a job as a complete opportunist on dragons den, then being whisked off on unicef hotel trips, experiencing the very best bolivia can offer. Wish my charity status did that for me!
actually before the new statesmen and women get their p45s my web site is www.myspace.com/ca1chy
@Mike S. I was just about to respond to Shiela, but you said it all. Why do people not seem to understand, that most of the media are pro Tory, yet Labour are almost equal in the polls! Cameron will try to cover Coulson, but my guess is he will have to resign because he is in Government.
It's getting to the stage, where most of the country Xcept scottish trainspotting hollyrood fans of kirsty wark are probably tory.
The trust I lacked due to backing a war I also supported in the beginning, has been dented by a refreshing if not always clear objective to bring about real change. Mistakes have been made, such as refusing to congratulate the people of Britain for the falling crime rate, thanking the police instead, but making up for that with ruthless targets. Hopefully those won't just be financial targets. I don't know how the human rights issues are going to develop, but mine have been non! The best steak I ever ate was in europe, the nicest police force I ever met was in holland, and to say, when many of them are doing better than us, that the legal system of rights adopted across Europe is a "charter for chancers" shows that there is still some rehabilitation work to be done with some tories, and I have no doubt, with some of the lawyers that block those rights.
Having mauled peoples rights, a fact softened by the corduroy past of the labour party, I read James Macyntires bstard of a gripe with delight.
www.myspace.com/ca1chy
"sunlight is the best disinfectant". Eat your words David Cameron, the stench of deceit and phone tapping hang in the air over 10 Downing Street tonight.
It didn't take long for Cameron and Coulsons credibility to be fayally undermined.
@margaret young
Tell you what David. If you do for me what the labour party and bbc sill think they have the money to do in scotland, payrolling another brand of crackers with numbers such "I've been drinking and I wish you were dead", I'll go back on tour. I'll have to have a roady, and if peter lily isn't to frail to work, having lived on the streets suffering from illness and claiming benefits for many years, he can do some REAL man work. I'll let him live in the refrigerated van I'll bring you a european steak back in, just to show him how tough some of us brits have had it. You can eat the steak, and enjoy the sunlight.
If you think the torys have been deceitful, there's alot more where the british legions bribe came from!
I find it a bit sinister that this article didn't provoke a decent conversation. I think we should be told.
Paxo now, on newsnight, don't take any prisoners, as far as that girls skirt called the beeb will allow you to go.
If I was the editor, the jugular to the throat, straight to it, but women editors are total soft pussies, and only care aboubt shopping next fucking Saturday frigging morning, as they have always blinkered thought.
Biddy Baxter, the beeb shite, suck my fucking plums, and Paxo, show more brit media sharpend anarchy, twit,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQxI2n3uZWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XIIO-fyUEw
Ivor, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axQpElAAnco
I think its strange too that the Daily Mail, when they got around to reporting it (buried might I add, after two days of coverage) portrayed it, as some on here are doing, as the product of a left-wing smear campaign.
Good coverage in the Spectator though, so its not just a political football.
Can we all remember this when NewsCorp are trying to influence our leadership vote?
ITN were very biased last night, amazing what a little Murdoch money will do...