Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
John Yates and Theresa May made detailed comments on the phone-hacking affair. Nick Davies analyses them
When the New York Times published its report into the phone tapping scandal last Wednesday, not many British commentators immediately realised its significance.After a day or so when only a very few on Twitter and the blogosphere promoted the story, it was taken up by Tom Watson MP and then by Lord Prescott. By the time Lord Prescott had taken advantage of the benefit of a former Deputy Prime Minister in airing his concerns on the Today programme, the story had legs.Yesterday, the Home Secretary Theresa May -- in a fairly unconvincing performance -- refused to announce an inquiry into the affair. This was in response to an urgent parliamentary question by Watson. The chairman of the House of Commons select committee on Culture Media and Sport has also said that his committee will not re-open the inquiry. Other bodies asked to look at it have so far have not yet responded.It would seem that the story has hit the buffers and lost all momentum; it appears to be a scandal with no where else to go.However, such a view would be misconceived.
When the New York Times published its report into the phone tapping scandal last Wednesday, not many British commentators immediately realised its significance.
After a day or so when only a very few on Twitter and the blogosphere promoted the story, it was taken up by Tom Watson MP and then by Lord Prescott. By the time Lord Prescott had taken advantage of the benefit of a former Deputy Prime Minister in airing his concerns on the Today programme, the story had legs.
Yesterday, the Home Secretary Theresa May -- in a fairly unconvincing performance -- refused to announce an inquiry into the affair. This was in response to an urgent parliamentary question by Watson. The chairman of the House of Commons select committee on Culture Media and Sport has also said that his committee will not re-open the inquiry. Other bodies asked to look at it have so far have not yet responded.It would seem that the story has hit the buffers and lost all momentum; it appears to be a scandal with no where else to go.
However, such a view would be misconceived.
The chair of the home affairs select committee today launched a new inquiry into the use of unauthorised phone hacking.Keith Vaz announced the move soon after hearing evidence from John Yates, the senior police officer involved in the original investigation.The development came as it emerged that David Cameron's PR chief, Andy Coulson, faces police questioning over his role in phone hacking during his time as the editor of the News of the World.Coulson has repeatedly insisted he was unaware of the practice being used by members of his reporting team.
The chair of the home affairs select committee today launched a new inquiry into the use of unauthorised phone hacking.
Keith Vaz announced the move soon after hearing evidence from John Yates, the senior police officer involved in the original investigation.
The development came as it emerged that David Cameron's PR chief, Andy Coulson, faces police questioning over his role in phone hacking during his time as the editor of the News of the World.
Coulson has repeatedly insisted he was unaware of the practice being used by members of his reporting team.
The story traces who knew what about the phone hacking and when they know it right up to Andy Coulson. And there it stops. In the chain of command at News International (News Corp.'s British subsidiary), if Andy Coulson knew something then his mentor and boss, Rebekah Brooks, knew it, and if Rebekah knew it, then James Murdoch knew it (this is a very tight office and social circle), and if James knew it, then his father knew it. And who knew what when about the hacking is only a prelude to who knew what when about the cover up and the obstructing and suborning of investigations into the hacking. Murdoch can control the powers that be in London--and walk free. But if he's going to take the New York Times down, its message is that he and his son are going down, too. Even the nice boys can play rough.
A key witness from inside the News of World newsroom says he will testify on the phone-hacking affair, both to police and an inquiry begun by parliament.Ross Hall, a former employee who until now has been silent, told the Guardian tonight he was willing to talk to Scotland Yard and to the newly-announced home affairs select committee inquiry by MPs: "If asked, I will tell them what I know." Metropolitan police sources said they planned to interview him.Hall had been named in a previous MPs' inquiry as the man who transcribed swaths of hacked voicemail messages for other journalists, including the tabloid's chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck.
A key witness from inside the News of World newsroom says he will testify on the phone-hacking affair, both to police and an inquiry begun by parliament.
Ross Hall, a former employee who until now has been silent, told the Guardian tonight he was willing to talk to Scotland Yard and to the newly-announced home affairs select committee inquiry by MPs: "If asked, I will tell them what I know." Metropolitan police sources said they planned to interview him.
Hall had been named in a previous MPs' inquiry as the man who transcribed swaths of hacked voicemail messages for other journalists, including the tabloid's chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck.
New claims about phone hacking at the News of the World, 65 articles, 68% of which were in one of four outlets (The Guardian, The BBC, The Independent and the Financial Times). Only 2 were published by news outlets owned by News International
The private investigator jailed in the News of the World phone tapping scandal, Glenn Mulcaire, planned to write a book which would allege that the hacking of voicemails took place with the knowledge of senior staff. A detailed synopsis of the memoirs, seen by The Independent, reveals that Mulcaire was prepared to implicate others at the newspaper by stating that, as well as taking instructions from the royal correspondent Clive Goodman, he was also routinely commissioned by executives.The book, provisionally titled Hear to Here: The Inside Story of the Royal Household Tapes and The Murky World of the Media, was never published because Mulcaire signed an £80,000 confidentiality agreement with the News of the World after he sued for wrongful dismissal following his conviction. But Mulcaire, who was was paid more than £2,000 a week by the newspaper, did write a five-page synopsis with a would-be author. Due to the gagging order, the document is the only time Mulcaire has explained his actions in his own words.
The private investigator jailed in the News of the World phone tapping scandal, Glenn Mulcaire, planned to write a book which would allege that the hacking of voicemails took place with the knowledge of senior staff.
A detailed synopsis of the memoirs, seen by The Independent, reveals that Mulcaire was prepared to implicate others at the newspaper by stating that, as well as taking instructions from the royal correspondent Clive Goodman, he was also routinely commissioned by executives.
The book, provisionally titled Hear to Here: The Inside Story of the Royal Household Tapes and The Murky World of the Media, was never published because Mulcaire signed an £80,000 confidentiality agreement with the News of the World after he sued for wrongful dismissal following his conviction. But Mulcaire, who was was paid more than £2,000 a week by the newspaper, did write a five-page synopsis with a would-be author. Due to the gagging order, the document is the only time Mulcaire has explained his actions in his own words.
The coroner carrying out the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson today sought to dispel conspiracy theories surrounding his appointment of the controversial pathologist Dr Freddy Patel, claiming his selection was "routine".In a detailed statement, released at a pre-inquest review hearing, the City of London coroner Paul Matthews said Tomlinson's body was transferred to St Pancras mortuary the day after his death at the G20 protests.
The coroner carrying out the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson today sought to dispel conspiracy theories surrounding his appointment of the controversial pathologist Dr Freddy Patel, claiming his selection was "routine".
In a detailed statement, released at a pre-inquest review hearing, the City of London coroner Paul Matthews said Tomlinson's body was transferred to St Pancras mortuary the day after his death at the G20 protests.
A RUSSIAN teenager is facing castration after being severely beaten by police in the Volga river town of Kstovo. The doctors now treating the 17-year-old, Nikitin Kaftasev, "are not sure whether they will be able to save his male organs," the Committee Against Torture said in a statement.Nikitin Kaftasev and a friend were detained and beaten by police on a street in the town centre, before being dragged to police headquarters where beatings continued for hours, the group said, citing the teen's testimony.
A RUSSIAN teenager is facing castration after being severely beaten by police in the Volga river town of Kstovo.
The doctors now treating the 17-year-old, Nikitin Kaftasev, "are not sure whether they will be able to save his male organs," the Committee Against Torture said in a statement.
Nikitin Kaftasev and a friend were detained and beaten by police on a street in the town centre, before being dragged to police headquarters where beatings continued for hours, the group said, citing the teen's testimony.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of France to register their anger over the government's austerity measures. The rallies came as a 24-hour national strike disrupted flight and rail services, and closed schools. Officials said 1.1 million people had joined protests, but unions claimed the figure was 2.5 million. The activists are angry at government plans to overhaul pensions and raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of France to register their anger over the government's austerity measures.
The rallies came as a 24-hour national strike disrupted flight and rail services, and closed schools.
Officials said 1.1 million people had joined protests, but unions claimed the figure was 2.5 million.
The activists are angry at government plans to overhaul pensions and raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
French cities rally against pension plans ?
No, of course, strikes and demonstrations are necessarily negative, so they "hit" cities and cause "disruption". It's all about "anger" and not opposition. It's done by "angry" "activists".
All in a day's "work" at the Beeb.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he has not ruled out standing for president again at the 2012 elections. Mr Putin said he would share power with current President Dmitry Medvedev until the election, when they would decide "what would be best for Russia". Mr Putin has previously served two terms as president. Speaking in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, he drew a comparison with US President Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected four times in a row.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he has not ruled out standing for president again at the 2012 elections.
Mr Putin said he would share power with current President Dmitry Medvedev until the election, when they would decide "what would be best for Russia".
Mr Putin has previously served two terms as president.
Speaking in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, he drew a comparison with US President Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected four times in a row.
They just can't get it right, can they? Having failed to attract enough grown-ups to the Pope's Hyde Park vigil on September 18, the bungling organisers of the papal visit are trying to drag schoolchildren there.
Expected cuts in public expenditure could be devastating for the economy, the NI first minister has warned. Peter Robinson said given the scale of the cuts expected to be imposed by the Treasury, ministers will inevitably have to make very difficult decisions. He said the prospect of 20-25% cuts, amounting to about £2bn, would have a "devastating impact bogging NI down in a recession for a prolonged period".
Expected cuts in public expenditure could be devastating for the economy, the NI first minister has warned.
Peter Robinson said given the scale of the cuts expected to be imposed by the Treasury, ministers will inevitably have to make very difficult decisions.
He said the prospect of 20-25% cuts, amounting to about £2bn, would have a "devastating impact bogging NI down in a recession for a prolonged period".
A major potential flaw in the coalition's bill to introduce fixed-term parliaments was exposed when the clerk of the Commons today warned it would open the way for repeated legal challenges if parliament passed a vote of no confidence in a government, leading to a general election.Malcolm Jack, parliament's most senior legislative expert, said the bill could mean the courts would "be drawn into matters of acute political controversy such as whether an election should be held".It is rare for the clerk of the house to stray into criticism of the government, and only happens if he feels legislation will undermine parliament.In evidence to the political and constitutional reform select committee, Jack said the legal challenges could be passed to the European court of justice.
A major potential flaw in the coalition's bill to introduce fixed-term parliaments was exposed when the clerk of the Commons today warned it would open the way for repeated legal challenges if parliament passed a vote of no confidence in a government, leading to a general election.
Malcolm Jack, parliament's most senior legislative expert, said the bill could mean the courts would "be drawn into matters of acute political controversy such as whether an election should be held".
It is rare for the clerk of the house to stray into criticism of the government, and only happens if he feels legislation will undermine parliament.
In evidence to the political and constitutional reform select committee, Jack said the legal challenges could be passed to the European court of justice.
The president of the European commission delivered veiled criticism today for the first time of the French government's anti-Gypsy campaign.In his first annual "state of the union" speech to the European parliament in Strasbourg, José Manuel Barroso urged greater protection of the rights of the EU's largest ethnic minority - the 12 million-strong Roma community - and warned European leaders to steer clear of the racism and discrimination of the past.Barroso's speech, outlining his priorities for the year and focusing on the financial and economic crisis, was preceded by a farcical failed attempt to force MEPs to attend the Strasbourg session. Parliamentary leaders abandoned a plan to fine MEPs who did not show up after being accused of Stalinism and infantilism.
The president of the European commission delivered veiled criticism today for the first time of the French government's anti-Gypsy campaign.
In his first annual "state of the union" speech to the European parliament in Strasbourg, José Manuel Barroso urged greater protection of the rights of the EU's largest ethnic minority - the 12 million-strong Roma community - and warned European leaders to steer clear of the racism and discrimination of the past.
Barroso's speech, outlining his priorities for the year and focusing on the financial and economic crisis, was preceded by a farcical failed attempt to force MEPs to attend the Strasbourg session. Parliamentary leaders abandoned a plan to fine MEPs who did not show up after being accused of Stalinism and infantilism.
Anyway, the local paper last week must have been really short of news. They devoted half a page to a major police operation of traffic enforcement. Lots of drivers were pulled over for checks, lots of speed traps, etc. The result: Nothing. Every single driver was obeying the law.
Eventually, they did get a motorcyclist for reckless driving. Not a local, of course - he was from Torino.
