I rekke nat a fert (Chaucer, allegedly) about William Hague's private life. He has denied any wrongdoing. He is a politician, so his denials may be undenied later. I just do not care, and neither should the Press.
The media are letting the Hague non-story crowd out the far more interesting story of Dave Cameron's Andy Coulson which has been researched by the New York Times here. The Guardian carries it as its minor front page story. (After Hague, natch)
Coulson is Dave's "media advisor" (=spin doctor). He resigned as editor of the News of the World (a Mordorch publication) after its royal correspondent, Clive Goodman, and a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, were jailed for phone hacking. Coulson has always denied any involvement in their crimes.
But:
Guardian: "The New York Times, which has had an investigative team at work on the story since March, is citing two former News of the World journalists who specifically claim that Coulson was directly aware of his reporters' use of illegal techniques."
Moreover, the police are also tainted: "...Metropolitan police force...stands accused of favouring Rupert Murdoch's newspaper group by cutting short its investigation, withholding crucial evidence from prosecutors and failing to inform victims of the newspaper's crimes against them."
This is the real story. The Hague story is a homophobic red herring, followed by the press pack in full cry. On 2nd September 10 only the NYT and the Guardian are carrying the Coulson story, but it is trending in the UK twittersphere. Again, Twitter is giving the lead to the hacks.
The Coulson story will ooze slowly out. He will issue further denials. Cameron, in between changing nappies, will deliver a message of qualified support, and soon after, Coulson will resign from his position as Dave's spin doctor. He stands accused of breaking the law, but it is unlikely that he will be taken to court any time before 2020, due to the involvement of the police and his closeness to the Prime Minister. Not to mention the interest of Mordorch in the affair.
(This is a matter for @Konnolsky's analytical skills, but it appears that he has been put in a tin can by Big Oleg).
So I spend the morning on the phone and tweeting. Here is what happened, latest at the top:
- @GreenJennyJones Should MetPoliceAuth take an interest in new ev re alleged lack of due diligence in matter of Andy Coulson + phonetapping?
-
Metropolitan Police standing by their rebuttal. http://nyti.ms/9CqDpP So next move : contact the IPCC #Coulson #MetGate -
@MarthaKearney Why no interest in the Andy Coulson story in today's World at One? -
#MetGate: CPS refer allegations to Met Police. They are going to look again at the NYT article alleging that #Coulson was aware of phonetaps -
BBCR4 World at One too chicken to carry the #Coulson #MetGate story. Reason to cancel the TV license DD? http://bit.ly/1tyqyG -
@torybear Will Coulson really "get away with it?" NYT has new evidence from witnesses as to his knowledge of the NoTW hacking. #metgate -
@BBCNewsnight Will you cover the #Coulson #Metgate story tonight? If not, why not? -
@guidofawkes Never mind Hague - what about #Coulson and #MetGate? -
@TimMontgomerie Tim, never mind rating the LabourLeadership clones - how do you rate Andy #Coulson and #MetGate? - JonathanHaynes
If one watched The Thick Of It, one might wonder if Andy Coulson did this http://bit.ly/b9iLQS to distract from this http://bit.ly/b9SoG9 -
Cabinet Office http://bit.ly/a5MdWo contacted, but kicks enquiry re #Coulson's suspension pending investigations into touch #metgate -
Contact BBC R4 World at One here http://bbc.in/9RhQnr if you want to ask if they will cover #Coulson #Metgate, and if not, why not? -
Ministry of Justice opinion: #Coulson could take Dave to Industrial Tribunal if Dave sacks him before Coulson is convicted. #Metgate -
Conservative Party Central Office Press Office answering machine is unable to comment on #Coulson #MetGate story. What a pity. -
@TimMontgomerie What are your thoughts on the Andy Coulson affair? Do you think Dave should let him go? #coulson #metgate -
@TimMontgomerie What are your thoughts on the Andy Coulson affair? Do you think Dave should let him go? -
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/new is suspended. So no chance of creating a petition for Dave to cleanse his office of Andy Coulson. - JTownend
@r4today will you be asking Andy Coulson on programme tomorrow to respond to NYTimes allegations? #metgate
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