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Video: Adam Boulton v Alastair Campbell

Sky News man in angry exchanges with Tony Blair’s former aide.

Campbell to Boulton: "Adam, Adam, calm down."

Boulton to Campbell: "Don't keep telling me what I think, I'm fed up with it."

Boulton to Campbell: "You, totally unelected, have plotted this with them."

(Tempers get frayed about 4mins 30secs into this clip . . .)

An interesting couple of days for Sky News: here's the video behind the #SackKayBurley frenzy.

UPDATE: It seems Boulton and Campbell have form. This from Sky News's election night coverage:

 

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78 comments

Ricardo's picture

Hasn't Boulton gone yet?

How's he hanging on? His credibility as an independent voice is in tatters and he is now something of a joke figure

He's continuing as if nothing has happened.

This antagonism towards a Lib-Lab pact, with his boy Cameron sidelined, is permeating his every utterance.

It's pretty laughable

The mask of neutrqality has been slipping in recent weeks and it fell off yesterday.

And Sky are just merrily going along as if nothing has happened.

I can no longer take their coverage serously. Looks like Kuenssberg and Robinson for me from now on.

FJ's picture

Very disappointed by Sky's covrage of the election. Does the press not owe it to the public to give an impartial coverage of events and let the public decide?? Adam Boulton was a disgrace to the Journalism profession and should bury his head in shame!!

M Saha's picture

Adam Boulton seems to have a lot of late nights and lost his cool. However, what he said was not wrong in the least. Someone needs to tell these ridiculous losers who are not dignified and are shameless about it.
I would have liked to thank Boulton for saying the words for voters but also get some sleep. These thick skinned people are poor losers who say the winners have cheated. Next they would say more than 2million voters has been 'biased' to vote for tories :D What a laugh !! Grow up please

ROBERT TAGGART's picture

Campbell be a self confessed 'headcase' ! What more need one say ? !
Good on Boulton for 'sticking it up 'em'... they (Liebour) do not like it !

Yeti's picture

I wish Campbell would just f*** off. He is a nasty piece of work who is holding the population to ransom.

Anybody say anything different to his agreed line and he throws his toys out of the pram.

Joe's picture

Boulton clearly biased. Don't get me wrong, not a fan of Campbell either. Boulton is a Tory mouth piece. The entire SKY coverage of this election was. He is clearly not a journalist!!!

karen1's picture

sky news have backed the tories from day one and very obviously.there didn't seem to be any effort to disquise it.the way they have interigated labour and the soft questioning of the tories was a disgrace.what happened to fair and balanced? the way burley bullied the guy at the protest outside of lib hq and didn't let the guy get a word in edgeways was disgusting and if she takes people complaining about her as a compliment she is deluded i hate her and boulton and don't watch them anymore.it's a shame as the rest of them(tory bias aside)are really good

Paul Fitzsimons's picture

Boulton has become totally paranoid - his job is to provide insightful independent analysis - not heckle and bully - that's what politicians do best

pramit's picture

Boulton is clearly for tories and not neutral. As he should be as a journalist. I am not labour or Brown supporter.

Archie's picture

Give Boulton a break! He's just outing Campbell for the unelected meddling spin-doctor he is, a nasty bit of work. I wish someone would do the same to that slimy reptile Mandelson, twice kicked out of office for dodgy dealing, then somehow allowed back in by the back door by Brown and before you knew it he was practically running the country. If the only thing achieved by this election is that we see less of that creep's slimy face on television, and hear less of his unctuous voice, my vote will not have been in vain.

Michael Ch D Rabicano's picture

It is a pity for Adam Boulton. This gentleman has damaged himself as a serious journalist in the future. He has disqualified himself for the prefessional future. Political commitment is laudable, but not in this way. He has not only outed himself of the closet as a Tory (this was known even before), but he simply behaved unprofessionally. He should reflect his position. The viewers deserve something better.

Tony.'s picture

And who elected Boulton to be a Tory spin doctor?
The Tories didn't win a majority and under our voting system the Lib-Dems can form a coalition with who they like.Sorry Adam but thats the way it is.

Olu Ojedokun's picture

Unfortunately many have been hoodwinked by Sky News a foreign controlled media.

The fact is that Adam Boulton offers the pretence of neutrality when he is clearly not, sure that is the point!

As for Campbell we know what he is and there are no pretentions, if they feel he is scum then do not interview him rather than subjecting him to naked partisanship.

AlanP's picture

Time for Boulton to resign- his bias is no longer tenable for a journalist.

Aydin's picture

WHAT A LEGEND. Seriously Alastair Campbell, what a prick!

Belinda Webb's picture

Over the weekend Kay Burley demonstrated, yet again, her ignorance and toe-curling style of questioning/bullying over the weekend, and now this from Boulton. They're desperate. Sky is Britain's Fox!

maggier's picture

boulton is totally unprofessional
and is a disgrace. He should be sacked. I have heard his arrogance
and ego too many times and he never
allows anyone to speak. He is too fond
of his own voice and opinions and totally biassed.

Joanne kallot's picture

I never realised what a nasty piece of work Boulton was until the last few days, and this campaign generally. I'm no lover of Gordon Brown et al, but Boulton (particularly tonight) never misses an opportunity for a snide remark or a nasty little dig. He thinks he's God's gift. Well Adam, you ain't. You opinionated, getting rather fat and losing your hair at a rate of knots. Check yourself out one day before having a go at every one else.

Aydin's picture

He is passionate about his beliefs, whats wrong with that? Its what we have been lacking in politics all this time. DONT TELL ME WHAT TO THINK :D absolute legend.

keo's picture

Boulton fighting for our democracy, cant be all bad.

Red Rag's picture

Obviously Boulton doesn't like being outed as a Tory so publically.

It's not like most people didn't know it anyway....http://redrag1.blogspot.com/2010/05/red-rag-adam-boulton-upset-as-campbell.html

premiership's picture

adam boulton is a bully he should be sack

Kay's picture

This is not journalism. Adam must be sacked! for God sake hes not an MP. This is very personal unprofessional behaviour.

Mathieu's picture

@Aydin - Boulton is by no means a 'politician', as much as he might like to be. Being 'passionate' is not what's required as a journalist.

Neil's picture

Mr Bloaton and that utterly repulsive rotter Kay Burley, along with Sky asd whole, should be thrown off the edge of a very tall cliff!

Alan's picture

I am glad Adam gave it to him straight and I dont like Adam but Campbell is an idiot.

davidk1's picture

Boulton....no, scratch that, SKY News, are a complete and utter disgrace. Their credibility has gone from quite decent to zero in the space of this long month of election campaigning.

Undoubtedy the Fox News channel of the UK. Expect this lot to have its equivalent very soon to commentators like Bill O'Reilly and Hannity.

Aydin's picture

I never said he was a politician. Its just nice to see some passion about politics, the spin and rubbish coming out of Labour is just ridiculous, about time someone spoke up to it. Bravo Boulton.

Mike's picture

AB is a total,utter disgace in our politics. The way he interviews politicians is nasty, rude and non demacratic Ordinary good decent people who should go into politics stay out because of people like disrespectful Boulton and we end up with power seeking politicians hell bent on power who think they are above the law, help themselves to whatever they want. Decent people wanting to change the country for the intrest of all just wont go for it. Boulton do the decent thing and resign lets get impartial,polite correspondants who can get the truth out of politicians not bullying and threatening them

Mat's picture

Aydin, he's supposed to be a journalist. Passion and beliefs are for politicians and worthy rock stars, Boulton's position is, I'm sure, being reviewed

mactheknife's picture

love it! sky backed cameron the loser, egg on their faces now, lets hope the lib/lab pack change the laws in the UK so that News Interntaional (The Sun & Sky News) can no longer dictate who is our leader, their reporting was unfair, cruel and biased from the day the sun backed the tories. Boulton had probably been promised a knighthood by Cameron and now sees it slipping away! He simply hates it. He also looks drunk to me!!!

Machiavelli's picture

Don't tell me what to think, Adam!

Barry Vern's picture

I think it was the highlight of the elections, the master spin doctor of the past PM gives a couple of comments, totally fusing somebody that should know better. No wonder the 'new danger' got to pillage the country from inside without the sheep noticing. This clip should be kept for posterity, if only to warn others of what to look out for.

mr_wonderful's picture

Boulton lost his cool and made a fool of himself. I bet he cringes watching that back once he has sobered up.

Justin's picture

Surely Sky news have the cash to employ a more competent, impartial and impressive political analyst? if they want to be considered a worthwhile news source they really must do better than this.

girlwithapearl's picture

That is the funniest thing I've seen in ages

Dez's picture

As a TV journalist he should have been unbiased... You clearly saw which side his beliefs are.

Adam Boulton do what Gordon Brown has done and annouce that you will resign. His display has shown that That democracy in the UK must change and that the press and TV news channel must remain on the fence when it comes to politics

cg's picture

Hilarious, but so unprofessional. Adam Boulton (and Sky) have been totally biased throughout. Once he saw that the Tory-Lib pact was not a done deal he couldn't hack it...what a (poor)loser!!

Googlyeyedmonster's picture

Never heard of Boulton til today (don't watch sky)..All the way thru I assumed he was an MP til I read the comments.
LMAO.

Reginald-Fah-fah's picture

Nice one Adam! Thank you Adam Boulton...you are the man!!!! He is the only one today with the nations' interests at heart!

My opinion, the UK could be stuck with Gordon Brown as Prime Minister until the next General Election(5 more years of Gordon Brown)! He used the words 'if' and 'hopefully' and to me this casks a matter of doubt over his resignation.

In my opinion, once he gets the 'Confidence of Commons' during the Queen's speech later this month, he could hold the Country to 'ransom'!

The position as Prime Minister in return for:
1.'The Economic Recovery' which can take years.
2.'Election Reform' which can also take years.

Gordon Brown offers an unstable government in a rainbow coalition government (somewhat a matter of a few seats), therefore one has to ask himself whether he taking the tactical position 'If I can't run the Country, then no one else will'.

Lets say, Lib Dem will not get 'Election Reform' and the 'Economic recovery' will take forever.

Adam Boulton for Prime Minister!!!

JRM's picture

Perhaps Sky News should just rename themselves Fox and be done with it

Robert's picture

Someone - er - ooo - can't remember who - er - once said "When you become part of the story it's time to go."

Time to go Boulton!!

rob's picture

Remember watching Boulton being interviewed by Bill O'Reily on Fox News a few years ago. Boulton looked incredibly tame in comparison. But Sky News is getting pretty much like their sister network now. They get all touchy when being called biased, even if its obvious.

Russell Pringle's picture

Its Sad to see adam Boulton lose it like this on live tv" My understanding now is Adam voted Tory,
its now time sky removed him and his views,this is not the only time he has lost the plot on tv.

Janet's picture

I am still waiting for Adam Boulton to apologise on air and not pretend he was simply protecting his journalistic integrity. He overstepped the boundaries and, if he can't admit it, he is a poor representative of Sky. I can forgive him for being pompous and boring but not for being rude, inaccurate, hysterical and unprofessional. What a pity he tainted all Sky's coverage.

BadConscience's picture

Oh FFS put the tribalism back in the drawer.

Boulton did not breach any codes. He did not reveal personal bias. He got fed up with Campbell winding him up, and the two of them had handbags at dawn.

It's such a non event.

by the way I'm a Labour party member.

there are more important things to care about right now.

Doug's picture

Boulton.....Sky....the Sun.....Murdoch....all are a disgrace.

eddy's picture

Adam Boulton clearly has a tory agenda get rid of him he is a muppet!!!!

Mark's picture

Boulton is a disgrace. He has clearly demonstated he is not impartial and I have lost all respect for him as a journalist and broadcaster.

jeremiah's picture

Fight Fight Fight!

Smack him one Al! Smug Murdoch crony masquerading as a journalist!

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