A nervous prime minister took calls from the press this morning and announced two inquiries into the scandal while also trying to steer the conversation away from individuals. He called this a “wake-up call” moment and said that the inquiry into the press would be judge-led, which was not mentioned before, with his full backing so that there can be a “free press that is clean and trustworthy.”
He was careful not to name specific news organisations that needed particular cleaning up, instead taking the general view that it was “no good pointing finger at one individual or one newspaper” as it was more about the practices that had not been regulated.
Cameron did, however, express regret at how he and other politicians in Westminster had failed to ask fundamental questions about regulation because politicians “feel so passionately about getting [their] message across... we don’t stop to ask questions.” He then attacked the Press Complaints Commission for their failure, and in many ways signaled its end, by stating the “way press is regulated today is not acceptable” and that a “truly independent” regulatory body will need to take its place.
When asked about Rebekah Brooks, the prime minister said, rather surprisingly due to their alleged close relationship, had she offered her resignation to him “in this situation I would have taken it” but when questions turned to Andy Coulson Cameron was far more guarded in his response.
He took full responsibility in deciding to employ Coulson as his Head of Communications, even calling him a friend at one point, and defended the move as he thought it was only right that he “judge an individual by the work they did for me” that he claimed was exceptional.
He was less willing to talk of Coulson’s News of the World career and was quick to repeatedly say he had given Andy Coulson a “second chance” which did not work out. After all of this has calmed down and comprehensive inquiries have been instigated to find the truth, it may be Cameron himself who will be hoping to get a second chance from the British public.
Comments
notinyourparty / July 08 2011 2:07pm
Toothess, he can't/won't do anything concrete to restrain the gutter press, he is too scared of them, he couldn't didn't do anything to stop the bankers pocketing our money as undeserved "bonuses" because he was/is too scared of them, he is a straw dog, a joke, prime minister without a mandate, or even a majority, leader of a party that is so toxic even the public's total lack of faith and feelings of disgust for "new" labour couldn't give them a majority in Westminster, of the electorate or even in votes cast, I detest new labour with its smug cronyism and culture of "spin" (blatant lies), but this ragdoll leader being dragged along by the rabid thatcherites in his antiquated party is even worse than Blair, who despite making disastrous decisions for the country at least managed to lead. And that's without even considering the joke libdems who were so desperate for a taste of power they sold their souls to the thatcheright tories, and in the process have probably destroyed the very small amount of credibility they had so painstakingly built up over their decades as the also rans of British politics.
But don't forget, the bankers are still getting their bonuses, whitehall civil servants are still getting their inflated salaries, MPs are still getting their expenses and those foreign governments that are prepared to cosy up to tory party donors will be getting their small fortunes in "aid".
We the people should really be grateful that we are being allowed to fund all this.