Andy Coulson - Cameron's Alastair Campbell?

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stockhausen

stockhausen

stockhausen

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Should Cameron sack Coulson, the ex-editor of the News of the Screws?

There has been a fair amount written in the last few days about the practice of hacking into the mobile 'phone voice-mail of prominent people which seems to have been fairly common at the News of the Screws whilst Coulson was the editor there.

He claims to have been entirely ignorant of any wrong-doing and it is clearly going to be very difficult to prove that he did actually know what was going on at the rag of which he claimed to be the editor.

However, the question is whether someone as apparently incompetent as Coulson claims to be should be in charge of government propaganda?


Here are some articles that give a flavour of the story:
For some strange reason this story has not been covered by the Times and the story was apparently revived by the New York Times :confused:

The Times and the News of the Screws are both part of Murdoch's News International empire - I'm sure that there is no connection between this and the former newspaper's silence on any alleged phone-hacking ;)
 
Why should he be sacked. Labour are doing a bit of muck spreading. Case closed and have a nice day.
 
simulatorman said:
Why should he be sacked. ...
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Well I guess that one might say because Coulson claims to be incompetent?

The News of the Screws is alleged to have paid Max Clifford £1million over allegations that they arranged the hacking of his voice-mail, they are alleged to have paid something like £700k to Gordon Taylor for the same reason and Clive Goodman, the News of the Screws royal editor was jailed for "illegally intercepting phone messages", all whilst Cameron's director of propaganda was apparently looking the other way - and that is the kind analysis ;)
 
Just more tittle-tattle we've heard before. Guilty editor locked up during Labour’s reign, no other evidence found and as I said before case closed. It’s just headless labour trying to muck spread as the ship continues to sink. They have got to do something after Tony’s book, disclosure of their near bankruptcy and their on-going farcical leadership election.
 
simulatorman said:
Just more tittle-tattle we've heard before. Guilty editor locked up during Labour’s reign, no other evidence found and as I said before case closed. It’s just headless labour trying to muck spread as the ship continues to sink. ...
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I suppose that by "labour trying to muck spread" you are referring to the New York Times :confused:

I'm sure that Cameron and Murdoch would be delighted if this case really was "closed" as you suggest - it may yet come back to haunt them despite the best efforts of the predictably self-protective reptiles of the fearless fourth estate ;)
 
stockhausen said:
Well I guess that one might say because Coulson claims to be incompetent?
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So you want him to be sacked for something he might have done in a previous job? I thought you socialists were big on employment rights, or do they not apply if you don't like the person?
 
RDM said:
So you want him to be sacked for something he might have done in a previous job? I thought you socialists were big on employment rights, or do they not apply if you don't like the person?
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I would like to see Coulson sacked for much the same reason as I would have been delighted if Campbell had been sacked - I believe that he is a disgrace to democracy.

As it happens, he himself appears to claim to be incompetent which seems to be a good reason for him not to be doing the job he is paid something like £140,000 to do.
 
Sexing up Stories goes with the job at the News of the Screws.

Campbell was better at Screwing that he was at Spinning. (or was that Prescott)?
 
For everyone's sake I'm going to ask you to stop calling it New of the Screws :/ That's about as clever as saying Micro$oft, NObama and other things in the vein of attempted wit.

As you've said it's difficult to prove he had any knowledge, innocent until proven guilty. I don't like the man, nor the paper but you can't fire someone without proof.
 
stockhausen said:
it happens, he himself appears to claim to be incompetent which seems to be a good reason for him not to be doing the job he is paid something like £140,000 to do.
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So yes, you do think he should be sacked because of something that happened in a previous job and not the one he is currently doing. Hope you never make mistakes in work, to be blacklisted for ever because of them would be a bit harsh...
 
RDM said:
So yes, you do think he should be sacked because of something that happened in a previous job and not the one he is currently doing. Hope you never make mistakes in work, to be blacklisted for ever because of them would be a bit harsh...
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To be fair, the allegation is that he committed a crime for which one of his subordinates at the NOTW was sent to prison for. If it's true I imagine he too will face criminal charges and I think people that close to the PM have to be squeaky clean. This isn't just a job, it's public life.

Whatever you might think about Alistair Campbell I don't recall any allegations that committed a serious crime as an aide to Blair.
 
scorza said:
To be fair, the allegation is that he committed a crime for which one of his subordinates at the NOTW was sent to prison for. If it's true I imagine he too will face criminal charges and I think people that close to the PM have to be squeaky clean. This isn't just a job, it's public life.
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However he hasn't been charged with any crimes, never mind convicted, does that not count anymore? If he faces criminal charges then of course he needs to go, but so far he hasn't and there isn't really any suggestion that he will. Lets be honest, you want him out because it would be embarrasing to Cameron.

scorza said:
Whatever you might think about Alistair Campbell I don't recall any allegations that committed a serious crime as an aide to Blair.
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There is absolutely no suggestion so far that Coulson has commited any crimes whilst being an aide to Cameron is there? All of this stuff was prior to him taking any political role at all wasnt it? In effect, once again, because he is someone you dislike you don't wan't him to have any of the same protections you would expect for anyone else.
 
Of course Coulson is Cameron's Alastair Campbell.

I had my suspicions, but really - News International investigated it, the police investigated it, the CPS looked at it and a Commons' inquiry looked into it. All found Coulson in the clear - what more do people want?
 
stockhausen said:
SFor some strange reason this story has not been covered by the Times
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Is there anything else you'd like to make up?
 
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RDM said:
However he hasn't been charged with any crimes, never mind convicted, does that not count anymore? If he faces criminal charges then of course he needs to go, but so far he hasn't and there isn't really any suggestion that he will. Lets be honest, you want him out because it would be embarrasing to Cameron.

There is absolutely no suggestion so far that Coulson has commited any crimes whilst being an aide to Cameron is there? All of this stuff was prior to him taking any political role at all wasnt it? In effect, once again, because he is someone you dislike you don't wan't him to have any of the same protections you would expect for anyone else.
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He made the decision to enter public life, it's not a normal job and it's pointless to pretend it is. The Prime Minister's closest aides must not taint the Prime Minister with any activities past and present, that is fundamental. IIRC Campbell resigned as Blair's spin doctor when the news became about Campbell and not influenced by Cambell. Rightly or wrongly that's the way politics is.
 
Hatter The Mad said:
Of course Coulson is Cameron's Alastair Campbell.

I had my suspicions, but really - News International investigated it, the police investigated it, the CPS looked at it and a Commons' inquiry looked into it. All found Coulson in the clear - what more do people want?
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Have you not read about the investigation itself though? that's the big issue here. Also, the times may well be covering it now, but they, the BBC and Sky only seemed to pick the story up long after the story originally broke in the NYT/Guardian.

i find it odd that people are quite happy to just dismiss this as "labour smears".
 
oli collett said:
Have you not read about the investigation itself though? that's the big issue here. Also, the times may well be covering it now, but they, the BBC and Sky only seemed to pick the story up long after the story originally broke in the NYT/Guardian.

i find it odd that people are quite happy to just dismiss this as "labour smears".
Click to expand...

That isn't happening though, is it? People are not dismissing it - it has been thoroughly investigated by the police, CPS and the people we elect.

Only then it was dismissed.
 
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