A fairly common attribute in those who believe they were born to rule is a rather petulant irritation whenever anyone dares to challenge them, or asks them questions they don’t like.
David Cameron has that streak in him and it came out yesterday when Alan Johnson raised questions about the growing stench surrounding the News of the World phone-hacking scandal – not just the behaviour of fhe paper, then edited by Cameron’s communications director Andy Coulson, but also the role of the police.
Johnson made serious points that deserved to be taken seriously. When they were put to Cameron, the PM responded with a reference to a photo in a newspaper of the shadow chancellor drinking a glass of pink champagne at a lunch.
So here is what the PM had to say … ‘Probably be said this over a long lunch, I don’t know if he was asking the question after one bottle of claret or two, or was it pink champagne? When he answers that I will come back to him.’
In other words, don’t dare ask me questions i don’t want to be asked. And by the way what right does a working class oil like Johnson have to drink champers? That should be left to us Bullingdon types.
There are several reasons why this story will not go away. First because journalists find it so hard to believe that an editor would be so ignorant about where stories came from. Second because the truth is being dragged kicking and screaming by a few individuals refusing to be fobbed off or bought off, and every fresh revelation brings further difficult questions for Scotland Yard.
What a contrast between the seal shown by Yates of the Yard in the so-called cash for honours investigation, and the way this case has been handled.
I tend to agree with those who say that trust in the Met’s ability to handle this. They are appearing more and more like a vested interest, less like an independent investigative authority seeking after truth.
The other reason is the proximity to the government decision on News Corp’s efforts to take full control of BkyB. When Vince Cable’s ability to handle that without fear or favour was questioed, he was immediately stripped of that responsibility. We appear to have reached a similar position with regard to the Met. They have clearly not done the job properly so far. So another force should be asked take over, and include the role of the police, and their relations with media organisations, in its remit
Cameron may think he can laugh this off with a lame joke about Alan Johnson. But he can’t, and the more he tries to, the longer these questions will linger. Everyone involved in this – News, The Met and Number 10 – would do well to get everything out in the open. Because it has the feel of a story that one day will be told in full.
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But What Can I Do?
Why politics has gone so wrong, and how you can help fix it
by
Alastair Campbell
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Our politics is a mess. We have leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. We endure governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. And we are confronted with policies that serve the interests of the privileged few. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, 'But what can I do?' That question is the inspiration behind this book. It's a question regularly posed to Alastair Campbell, not least in reaction to The Rest is Politics, the chart-topping podcast he presents with former Tory Cabinet minister Rory Stewart. His answer, typically, is forthright and impassioned. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. If we think things need to change, then we need to change them, and that means getting involved. But What Can I Do? provides each of us with the motivation and the tools to make a difference. Opening with an acute analysis of our polarised world and the populists and extremists who have shaped it, it goes on to show how we help transform it. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair’s long experience, as well as on role models and lessons from history, to offer practical tips on starting and leading a campaign. It offers advice on developing confidence and coping with criticism and setbacks. And it sets out the practical steps by which we can become political players ourselves. Part call to arms, part practical handbook, But What Can I Do? will prove required reading for anyone who wants to help change things for the better.
A complaint re iPad. Or is it a complaint re wordpress? But when I type a blogpost, I can only read the few sentences inside the screen at the centre. It means I don’t seem able to read back the whole thing. So I can only check when I have posted. I am sure someone will tell me what I am doing wrong but for now … Oil should say oik … Seal should be zeal … The sentence about trust in the met should have the words ‘has fallen’ There are probably other literals in there but as well as having problems with the iPad I have lost my glasses. And talking of being born to rule I stayed in a hotel in Surrey last night, in a raised bed in a room where, I was told, the Prince of Wales used to go for ‘sin and debauchery’ Seeing the shock on my face my guide pointed out ‘mot the current one’
I must admit I did wonder. If this was SATS that blog would only just scrap a you level 4 ;o)
Isn’t the attitude of which you complain, the born to rule disdain, characteristic of very many politicians? It was certainly evident in both Gordon Brown and his predecessor, whose name escapes me; a barely-concealed irritability that mere mortals, be they opposition Members or mere ‘ordinary people’, might dare to question, refine or oppose their cheerful certainties. Witness the apparent contempt for the deeply-held principles of marchers in favour of hunting and against the invasion of Iraq. I marched for neither, and am agnostic on both, but was dispirited by the Government’s blinkered contempt.
I have witnessed the change in attitude in those I have known who have been elected to Parliament, on both sides. They wrap themselves in the cosy knowledge that their opinions are suddenly (in their own minds) worth more than those of the electorate. On the Labour side, there is also the unedifying tendency to oppose by sneering. Having lost the May election, and having lost their Thousand-Year-Reich role as the ‘natural party of government’, they do little to oppose the present Government but sneer and disparage. Ed Miliband’s performance is especially offensive.
After 1997, the Tories had the humility to accept their trouncing and change. The Labour Party seems merely to be sulking and pouting, silently mouthing “we wuz robbed”, until they can get hands on the levers again.
Haven’t some officers already admitted that they feared personal attacks by News Corps? These fears should be aired in public and exposed for the threats they are to law enforcement.
I agree this will not go away – and Cameron may come to regret the characteristic mocking flippancy of his responses (on many subjects!). But I do wish Labour and serious journalists would become more insistent and demanding in requiring proper answers and ensuring the Prime Minister is unable to escape without giving proper replies…
George Osborne gave an interview on the VAT rise in which he literally repeated the same answer several times, to several quite different questions. Surely this is a failure of effective journalism and it is the media who must ensure that this kind of on-message, excessively media-trained, dogmatic answering that this Governement love, is ineffective?
And of course to talk about those who have high expectations of their own significance and power, who are outraged by fair challenge and questioning and who expect to influence others, including Parliament and the Police, we must surely give some regard to Murdoch…?!
Thank you for putting into words what the public too believes is a cover up by David Cameron and very under hand investigation by the Met. David Cameron does come accross as being rather snide and very cocky, and from experience these type of people often find themselves covered in the proverbial cr*p. I’m am confident that David Cameron will never get a chance to lead a Conservative Government and that is because all the skeletons will before long will be out to haunt him.
Like the substance of this very much, but some of the typos (“seal” of Yates, working class “oil”) suggest the ice is still a bit slippery on your iPad
“PM deflects questions with Insult”,
“Campbell admits inability to handle technology.”
“Campbell follows in footsteps of great adulterer.”
Two of these statements are unsurprising, and the third was ever thus.
I can add a fourth:
‘Richard has a serious allergy to reasoned argument backed up by facts and therefore has to resort to insult, innuendo and unqualified allegation’.
Hi Alastair
This lame joke is not as bad as his incredible performance in his interview for C4 in the early stage of the last election. He wanted to start the interview again on the latter occasion because of that performance.
I doubt if Dave is laughing about the local election in his own constituency –
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/01/07/labour-landslide-in-camerons-constituency/
David
I am glad you brought this up, Dj.
In 2006 in the Blaenau Gwent by election the independent Dai Davies who beat the Labour candidate to win said in his acceptance speech that socialism is not the preserve of one party.
The Labour win yesterday is pretty good evidence that DEMOCRACY is not the preserve of one party either.
Who are these Conservatives in Witney who presume to say to their electors that they needn’t bother with having an elected representative for the best part of a year just because they, the Tories, think it’s a waste of council payers’ money? And they’d win anyway in a “proper” election so no need to hold one at all.
That’s the thinking of some tin-pot dictator and has no place in a democracy.
Let alone in the prime minister’s own constituency.
The NoW story has legs to go on and on until the truth comes out. What we are now getting is drip-drip-drip revelations.
According to News Corporation only a rogue reporter knew about phone-hacking. In reality it appears that everyone knew – including the office cat!
Roy Greenslade writes that he believes that the hacking was not restricted to Clive Goodman. Now we have the suspension of assistant editor hired by Andy Coulson.
The Met investigation was a farce. But we need to know the truth about who ordered the illegal practices. Glenn Mulcaire was paid over £100,000, so I guess someone at the NoW must have asked what the money was for..?
There appears to have been a culture of hacking at the NoW. In all probability, a lot of people knew about it. Mr Coulson at least SHOULD have known about it as editor.
The Guardian and the NYT have provided enough evidence for a new investigation. We all know what would have happened if these allegations had been made about certain former Labour spinmeister…
David Cameron has shown bad judgement in appointing Mr Coulson and keeping him in his job.
The awkward question is that if Mr Coulson knew, who else? Did Rebekah Brooks (Wade) also know? And if Rebekah knew..?
By the way, who recommended Andy Coulson to his current position? According to newspaper reports it was the PR man Matthew Freud, who is married to Elizabeth Murdoch.
Which brings us to Rupert Murdoch´s planned purchase of remaining 60.9% of Sky.
Do we want to see Britain with only three newspapers: the Sun, the Times and the Daily Mail?
That might happen if the deal goes through.
Do we want to see Fox News UK? Rupert Murdoch and BBC´s Mark Thompson (!) want.
Do we want to see one corporation controlling news and political agenda?
I guess we want to see media plurality in the name of national interest and democracy. We do not want to see only one corporation influencing opinion and shaping public debate.
We do not want News Corp/BSkyB having all political power.
News Corp has now 14.6% share of news consumption. Together with Sky´s 7.4% they would possess 22%.
It is true that the BBC has 39.3%, but the Beeb is different as it is plural. Both big parties claim it is biased!
The merged company would change the media market. In digital age it is possible to bundle information. This is the real danger as it would signal the end of diversity and plurality.
You yourself, Alastair, come across as someone with a very superior attitude. And I’ve seen you, too, react badly when asked questions you don’t like.
Alan Johnson has a lifetime’s experience of being rejected and belittled by the establishment class. Cameron’s biggest mistake is to believe that the New Labour project was only about marketing hype and media spin. When the people most helped by that £80Billion, now being sucked out of the British economy, start to kick-off and complain, then the Tories may well find that they are lost for words.
With regard to your forst sentence, I seem to remember you were pretty tetchy over the Iraq enquiry.
I’m leaving this site. I’ve never read so much “crap”…….you’re supposed to be a grown man for heavens sake.
Your a bad influence on the young folk who post on here!
You can all wallow in your own self-righteous misery.
Pam
Completely agree about the need for another force to take over the investigation. We seem to be getting to the point where we need to have an investigation about the investigation!
Interestingly, The Guardian’s Michael White ascribes Cameron’s quip as a way of distancing himself from Coulson. Perhaps his days in Downing Street are finally drawing to a close.
Finally, completely sympathise about small boxes and missing glasses. This is the reason why I miss all my typos – my speling and gramma being purfect! Incidentally, Alastair, if you don’t have it already, I recommend the dinky iPad keyboard/dock
An interesting blog AC. I mentioned the problem you were having with your iPad to my husband and he suggested you “turn it around to landscape, as you can with some mobile phones” maybe you’ve already tried that ?
Anyway, regarding News Corps. efforts to take full control of BSkyB, I think Vince Cable’s recent remarks on that subject have pretty much guaranteed their success, sadly.
Alastair, England smash the Aussies to pieces and the star bowler in Burnley’s James Anderson. Not a peep from yourself. You Jocks are all the same!
hello ,i am another alastair campbell to join the ranks and like yourself SCOTTISH. but not a high profile person like yourself. only a good hard working decorator. the country is crap at the moment labour would have been better , but the next time round labour will lead again good luck ally
Oh no! *Sob*.
The deep issue here is, who holds the dirt on who?
I haven’t been on your site for ages, but remember visiting your old one when it first launched and sent you some feedback on it. This new site is far better and a vast improvement. I may visit more often now! Thanks, Mike Rouse
Did I just hear you slam the door as you left?
And I love the “young folk” bit.
“.. reasoned argument backed up by facts.” Now you are having a laugh. AC is a pro and has to follow a certain line. It is his job and we respect him greatly in what he does. The best of his generation.
However that is no excuse for the the unreasoned, class ridden, malicious and juvenile pulp which so many people on here post, and then call it “.. reasoned argument backed up by facts.” Get a life, and a sense of humour.
Beautifully put Richard. I’m afraid Dave has a humour by-pass.
Everyone who should be either interested or investigating it seems to be tip toeing around this subject. The Police, politicians, No. 10 and the media. Why ? Because of the power of News Corp and Rupert Murdoch. Anyone in public life daring to speak up has the threat that “The Sun” or NOW will ‘probably do a job on them.’ It is disgraceful. I do make (another) plea for the leadership of the Labour Party to ‘get stuck in’ to this morally bankrupt Government. They could make a start by being more visible and attack them on what is and is about to descend on this country. Unemployment and unfairness.
Dear Mr. C. Saw you on newsnight on Wednesday.I can’t remember the last time (if ever), I have agreed with, or been impressed by what you say. But newsnight was a revelation for me. The reason ? – you managed to keep party politics out of it (unlike your blog above), and addressed the real issue. Mr C, you could do a lot more good when you use your intellect and experience, in holding institutions to account, without alienating non labour voters by putting political spin on issues like this. Bit of a role here for you in representing the British people – think about it, I mean it’s motivated me to start listening to you – I can’t be the only one.