The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

"This is not the best time in my life"

Recording of Rebekah Brooks's speech to staff is leaked as Rupert Murdoch arrives in the UK

By Sophie Elmhirst Published 09 July 2011 10:51

Later today, Rupert Murdoch will arrive in London to try and curb the crisis engulfing News International. So far there have been three arrests (of Andy Coulson, former royal editor Clive Goodman and an unnamed man). Rebekah Brooks, meanwhile, is still in her job but is no longer leading the internal investigation into the company.

In a recording leaked to Sky News of the speech she gave to News of the World staff yesterday, Brooks says "this is not exactly the best time in my life". She also takes aim at the BBC ("I often wonder what they will do without the News of the World [exclusives]") and the Guardian ("I put out a statement today which will, like everything seems to, end up on the Media Guardian"), and describes a "Guardian/BBC witch-hunt" for her resignation. Brooks says she feels "very strongly the same as you", as she talks to staff, and says that "she's determined to get vindication for the paper". Brooks also reveals that she was told by police that her phone had been regularly hacked by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire.

As for the decision to close the paper, she explains that it was as much a business decision as anything else after the withdrawal of the majority of the paper's advertisers. Advertisers, she says, "are so willing to believe anything negative about the News of the World". She claims that the management have not made any decisions on any new publications, saying it's too soon - "we just don't know what to do". The anger of the staff in the room is palpable as they question Brooks about her decision not to resign. They also demand to know how she will salvage the reputations of innocent staff. Ultimately, Brooks says that her decision to stay is in part to see through further challenges on the horizon:

"We have more visibility perhaps on what we can see coming our way than you guys can, and look I can only, I'm tied because of the criminal investigation in what I can say, but I think in a year's time every single one of you in this room might come up and say, 'OK, well I see what you saw now'."

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15 comments

Sat, 2011-07-09 11:14 — frecklefairy (not verified)

Rebekah Brooks was in charge when some of these allegations took place. If, as she claims, she didn't know then she is still guilty of neglecting her responsibilities. By the by, I have nothing to do with the BBC, or the Guardian and I think she should resign because she clearly isn't fit to run an organisation if such crimes can take place under her nose undetected.

Sat, 2011-07-09 11:15 — hugh markey (not verified)

The 'Key to Rebecca'; Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; Rebecca, the Du Maurier oeuvre.
These are works of fiction found randomly glimpsed on our collective shelves. Movie adaptation - working script in mind Charlie Sheen - now who could he play? And his Dad - perfect now that Burt Lancaster is no longer available.
We think -without re-reading Follett's novel - that Rebecca is the code word for a strategic plan involving Rommel's advance on Cairo. Obviously, no link there.
And certainly no link with the mousey heroine featured in Du Maurier's book and played to perfection in the film by Joan Fontaine.
Absolutely, definitely and categorically no link between NewsCurs Rebekah and that little trouper Shirley Temple - thanks be to goodness.
Better bring this to a close before things kick off!
Come to think of it - Joan Crawford was a flame-haired personality with a bit of a temper. Possible, just possible. Big screen - not Eastenders for C******* Sake! That's only for little people

Ross Kemp Fans

Sat, 2011-07-09 13:24 — Lou (not verified)

She claims she was hacked as well, well how come she didn't see fit to mention it before? It's all about Rebekah and her self defence - as usual. The this isn't a great time in my life comment should have been met with a symphony from the world's smallest violins playing especially for her and her giant ego.

She clearly still does not get the public outrage. They ran a campaign for Sarah's law - whilst hacking Sarah's mother's phone. They ran the support our troops campaign and a campaign for a military covenant - whilst hacking the 'phones of dead servicemen and women. They ran the heartbreaking stories of those lost in the 7/7 bombings - whilst hacking the phones of dead victims and their friends and family. They ran pages and pages of news coverage with pictures of the Soham girls murdered by Huntley - whilst hacking their parents phones. They ran stories on missing Milly Dowler - whilst hacking her mobile phone and deleting messages.

She says there is worse to come - funny how it all got discovered only this week despite three reviews be her company. Should we now expect to be floored with news of hacking in to Diana, David Kelly and many, many more such high profile cases?

Sat, 2011-07-09 13:54 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

Did Gordon enjoy Rebecca's wedding and have you seen the pictures going around of Tony kissing Rebecca? The hacking and police bribing took place on Labour's watch.

The Tories are corrupt but lets not forget apparently that the Labour elite's ethics are very good.

Sat, 2011-07-09 14:20 — Lou (not verified)

Indu

Murdoch was embraced by Thatcher before Labour and by Harold Wilson before Thatcher. Wilson was the first politician given Murdoch's backing. They are all culpable so let's not go down the it's Labour's fault and make this party political when it is so much more than that, making it party political detracts from the severity of the problem and the insidious nature of the Murdoch empire.

Sat, 2011-07-09 15:49 — G.Day (not verified)

What has she got on them? Why else would they go to so much trouble to protect her.

Fri, 2011-07-15 23:05 — David (not verified)

What i want to know is this: Rebekah Brooks admitted infront of the select committee, whilst being filmed, that Police Officers were paid for information. That is bribing the police surely, in which case why was she not arrested after that comment? That is a clear breach of the law, and had i done it, i'd have been prosecuted very quickly..Also don't understand how you can be the editor of a newspaper and not know what your reporters are doing or where their stories are coming from. Suprised also, that former NOTW reporters have not been queueing up to tell their stories and dropping others in it, espeically if they have been dropped in it themselves. I am sure there will be some books out of this.

Sat, 2011-07-09 16:40 — matthew fox (not verified)

Indu Pendent is still in denial over Murdoch's support for Thatcher and Major.

Then again, the Tories have changed their tune, Kelvin McKenzie accused Labour of making personal attacks on Andy Coulson on the 6th of Sept 2010.

It looks Indu Pendent has missed the reports that Team Murdoch have issued threats to Chris Bryant and Ed Miliband, surprise, surprise.

Sat, 2011-07-09 17:13 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Yes and on top of that she's having a bad hair!

Sat, 2011-07-09 17:14 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

day that is!

Sat, 2011-07-09 17:37 — Wrensense (not verified)

Brooks says "this is not exactly the best time in my life".
Oh dear, how sad, never mind!
Funny you should say that 'cause its not great for NOW staff is it?
Resign NOW!!!!

Sat, 2011-07-09 20:56 — hugh markey (not verified)

Let's give Tony a pass [ not a hospital pass ]. He couldn't very well spit in public.
Maybe Tony did make a Faustian pact with the media emperor but he's still motoring at Formula One velocity.
And Gordon knows he should be Prime MInister!
Cameron's deus sex machina elevation to the premiership is definitely heading for a fall. That's the way Boris and David read it. They can almost taste it, those slavering political werewolves.
Rupert, that expert bandwagon jumper, jumped onto an underpowered Tory political machine and had to make the best of it. He made the same mistake in 1970. A cobbled-together government hurriedly built with a construction force of royalists and liberal-democrats -now don't tell us this gerrymandered monstrosity pleased the Republican.
Maybe this government is supported by a triumvirate or pulled by a troika. Nevertheless, think of a three-legged stool. Once one leg buckles the whole thing destabilises.
This isn't a crash waiting to happen. It's a s-l-o-w motion collision and let's hope the consequences are excruciating for the guilty parties involved.

Rubber-neckers

Sat, 2011-07-09 21:47 — Legally Blonde (not verified)

Hey Rebecca you vile, poisenous, evil excuse for a human being, do one decent thing in your miserable, contemptable life, admit your crime and put yourself at the mercy of the law that you so flagrantly ignored. Lets hope the legal system you abused during the tenure of your organisation, rounds on you to put you behind bars, where you surely belong.
PS When this happens I will campaign to try to get you some privelages like a hacked mobile!!

Sun, 2011-07-10 00:24 — Trevor Trebor (not verified)

I personally think NoW has always had a slightly inflated opinion of itself and its contribution to British well being (albeit 7m readers clearly can't resist their weekly fix of salatious tittle tattle and in my view rather self righteous whistle blowing). Yes it's desperate for anyone to lose their jobs in such a way but how many lives have been touched adversely by their intrusions resulting from hacks or not. The sins of the fathers have clearly been levelled at NOW current team. I'm hopeful their "talent" will prevail for them again and find some future worthwhile outlet especially for those true innocents.

As for the previous vitriol launched at Rebecca Brooks, you should rise above such hatred. I have no idea what she's like but she must be tough, capable yet still a human being. No ones invincible. If she is truly guilty of horrendous hypocrisy or wicked arrogance, I'm sure she'll get what's coming in time along with the likes of Fred Goodwin. Who knows there may be another side. In meantime, it's early days and watch this space.

Don't lose site of the future which I think will see the end of most Newspapers in next 10-15 yrs in any case. So maybe the NoW is ironically ahead of the game.