Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson

For the umpteenth time, the prime minister failed to fully apologise for brining the poison of Andy Coulson into Downing Street, defending his former communications chief and refusing to answer all Ed Miliband’s questions – dismissing concerns about Coulson as “feeble conspiracy theories”.

David-Cameron-phone-hacking-emergency-statement-20-07-11 He did, however, raise even more questions by claiming that “in hindsight” he would not have hired Coulson – despite all the evidence about Coulson’s past being out there at the time, and despite several of his inner circle knowing all the facts.

It’s not about “hindsight”; had he not stuck his fingers in his ears and failed to ask the right questions, he’d have known exactly the kind of character he was employing.

Mr Cameron had five chances to act on specific information that would surely have led him to change his mind on Coulson:

• The Guardian told his Chief of Staff Ed Llewellyn Coulson had hired a convicted criminal at the News of the World;

• In May 2010, his deputy Nick Clegg warned him about Coulson;

• The News York Times investigation was enough for the Metropolitan Police to reopen enquiries, resulting in Neil Wallis – Coulson’s deputy at the NotW – being fired by the Met;

• John Yates offered to brief the prime minister via Mr Llewellyn; and

• In October, Mr Llewellyn was approached by the Guardian with serious evidence about Coulson.

Every single opportunity was missed.

Questions were also raised about whether Mr Cameron had discussed the BSkyB bid in any of his vast array of meetings with News International executives, while several of his loyal backbenchers, on message and on cue, tried to deflect attention from the scandal by claiming there were other, more important issues going on.

It is this issue, however, which hangs heaviest over Mr Cameron, and if the odds are to be believed, it’s this issue that’ll bury him.

http://twitter.com/politica1984/status/93649845541289984 Karis Dowsell

Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson: http://bit.ly/qefQJe reports @ShamikDas #hackgate #Murdoch
http://twitter.com/altgovuk/status/93652692613857280 AltGovUK

RT @leftfootfwd: Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson: http://bit.ly/qefQJe reports @ShamikDas #hackgate #Murdoch #NewsClub
http://twitter.com/hitchinengland/status/93664416620486656 Hitchin England

RT @leftfootfwd: Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson: http://bit.ly/qefQJe reports @ShamikDas #hackgate #Murdoch #NewsClub
http://twitter.com/itellsya/status/93667236325228546 Cha Sea

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/07/yet-again-david-cameron-fails-to-say-sorry-over-andy-coulson/ when all else fails 'appeal2ridicule'!
http://munguinsrepublic.blogspot.com/ Tris

If, as Tory backbenchers suggest, there are more important issues than the corruption of the press and police and politicians’ collusion therein, why did Cameron find it necessary to return early from an international trip, causing other countries no end of disruption and holding back the rising of parliament in the process?
Anon E Mouse

Why would he say sorry when Coulson hasn’t been shown to have done anything wrong? Innocent until proven guilty perhaps?

Is Miliband going to apologise for employing (still) News International’s Tom Baldwin?

Thought not.

Is Gordon Brown going to apologise for being big buddies with Rupert Murdoch?

Thought not.

Have you stopped watching BSkyB yet Shamik Das?

Thought not…
13eastie

Shamik,

A million Iraqi’s are reckoned to have died subsequent to the allied invasion in which the UK partook on the basis false claims of WMD’s and 45-minute-warnings made by Alastair Campbell.

Thousands of Britons have also lost loved once as a direct consequence of this.

When is Blair going to “say sorry” for his choice of press secretary?
Anon E Mouse

Does anyone know if Leon Wolfson is on a secret mission today because I’m missing his New Labour support of the Iraq War in respect of 13eastie’s comment above.

Where are you Leon?
Ed’s Talking Balls

Parti pris!

For a more thoughtful discussion of Cameron’s performance today and the political implications of the phone hacking saga in general, I would recommend the following (that is, if you have a spare seven minutes):

http://playpolitical.typepad.com/uk_conservative/2011/07/video-timmontgomerie-and-kevin_maguire-discuss-camerons-performance-on-hacking.html
http://twitter.com/therightarticle/status/93708453629018112 Michael

Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson l Left Foot Forward – http://j.mp/pKKd6T
Leon Wolfson

Mouse, you are missing OTHER important things. Like sanity. And decency. But I’m sure you have a BNP meeting to go to. I saw a few in Coventry, and the rhetoric was identical in tone.

13eastie – Let’s discuss the sharp rise in the suicide rate among the poor and disabled since the coalition have started kicking away the support infrastructure, shall we?
Anon E Mouse

Leon Wolfson – Nothing but New Labour smearing and lies as usual from you. Again.

I noticed in another of your posts on this fine blog that you said “HULK SMASH the economy”.

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/07/john-yates-paul-stephenson-resign-boris-johnson-david-cameron-remain-news-international-phone-hacking-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-121380

May I suggest you grow up and realise that, despite your vivid imagination, The Hulk is a comic book character and isn’t real any more than you work for MI5 or whatever you think it is.

Was it the Taliban you were fighting and ambushed by in the High Street I wonder?

Grow up Leon Wolfson. This is supposed to be an evidence based blog not a fairy tale convention…
http://twitter.com/avichai15/status/93732627189739520 Paul McGlynn

RT @leftfootfwd: Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson http://t.co/6uVMwXl
http://twitter.com/interuncut/status/93734929229283330 InternationalUNCUT

Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson | Left Foot Forward http://fb.me/tXGZF7aW
Leon Wolfson

Mouse – Nothing but BNP-propaganda and xenophobia from you again. Yes, I can use allusions. How, well, usual. People do, that you take issue with it shows your deep-rooted issues.

So.. of course my own, real, experiences can’t have a place in your dream world where the poor don’t exist and it’s fine to bash the darkies.

Fairy Tales usually have a worthwhile moral, while you’re simply nasty.
Anon E Mouse

Leon Wolfson – More lies and smearing.

Remind me how voting for Gordon Brown as you did means you aren’t a Labour supporter. WTF??

You’re bonkers fella. Watch out for the monsters and vampires lurking in the bushes Wolfy!!!
Leon Wolfson

Hm…

Oh, that’d be because I didn’t vote for Gordon Brown.

And you think I give a flying for what a fascist calls me? You’re utterly past-centred, like all your ilk, longing for the “glory days” of white Britain which never existed, focused on the “ills” of New Labour. When I’m interested in the present and future – the economic attacks on the poor – and what your friends in the EDF and their like are doing NOW.
Anon E Mouse

Leon Wolfson – The only time in my life I didn’t vote Labour was at the last election after your New Labour gang forced Gordon Brown on us after promising they wouldn’t and I know nothing about the EDF.

Personally I’m with EON at home and British Gas at work if that helps.

Are you more hurt because I told you Santa Claws wasn’t real or because Jason Bourne has stopped taking your calls?

Watch out for the bogie man or the giant man eating octopus on the bus Wolfy and keep taking the pills please…
Dave Citizen

I think Ed M has found a way of showing Cameron up for what he is – the exchanges today had a calm and composed Ed steering the discussion while Cameron attempted to bash challengers over the head.

Cameron’s one liner put downs and ‘attack is the best form of defence’ style seemed to have come straight out of the school locker room – this may impress school boys but is no way to run a country!
Ed’s Talking Balls

Unsurprisingly, I disagree, Dave.

Miliband was calmer than of late but he still hasn’t moved beyond the hectoring, point-scoring stuff of last week. Stones were still being thrown from his glass house.

Cameron was right to adopt the line of attack being the best form of defence. There’s only so long anyone can tolerate the hypocritical slurs from an opportunist like Miliband. It’s only fair to point out that Brown and Murdoch were thick as thieves.
Dave Citizen

Ed, you’re right – I’m not surprised.

Having suffered years of putting up with a similarly arrogant and patronising style from Blair over the years, getting more of it from a man with an even bigger silver spoon in his mouth really grates.
http://twitter.com/cllrkrichards/status/93796200918171648 Kevin Richards

RT @leftfootfwd: Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson http://t.co/pwF3tdo
Leon Wolfson

Anon E Mouse – Snort. No, I’m a good researcher, and it wasn’t even hard to find.
Mr. Sensible

Mr Mouse, heard that one before, I’m afraid.

The fact is that Cameron is losing his grip on this.

13eastie I’m afraid that one isn’t new either. Quite apart from my view that you’re simply wrong, I don’t think it is possible to compare the 2. Simple as.
Kevin leonard

Cameroon is guilty of giving a job to one of his best buddies regardless of his past record. no doubt had Rebekah been out of a job he would have found room for her on the government payroll like all in power he isan arrogant parasite who has no guilt.
Anon E Mouse

Mr Sensible – It’s over now. It will secure Ed Miliband’s position as leader of the Labour Party which will in turn secure Cameron’s position as Prime Minister of this country at the next election.

Even the Lib Dem’s have had a jump in the polls of 2% but for Labour they are still on 42% and the Tories are still on 36% – they haven’t moved at all before and after this whole thing.

Meaning that Ed Miliband has blown it and because he isn’t supported by Labour activists who REFUSE to cancel their Sky subscriptions (shame on them) News Corp and BSkyB shares are on the up again…

Big up to Miliband for having a go but he’s just bored most of the public to death now with it…
Anon E Mouse

Kevin leonard – What has Andy Coulson been found guilty of?

We know the last government spin doctor Damian McBride’s record – ask Alistair Darling about the “Forces of Hell being unleashed” against him. Or smearing David Cameron in the week his disabled son died. Or Peter Watt’s terrible treatment from his own side. Charming.

No other Prime Minister in history spent more time with Rupert Murdoch than Gordon Brown despite his pack of lies in the commons last week.

We know Alistair Campbell told lies in his “dossier” resulting in the suicide of David Kelly and the deaths in Iraq of thousands of innocent men, women and children just to suck up to George W Bush.

Most people know what is worse Kevin leonard but since you voted for Gordon Brown I would suggest your moral compass may need rapid recalibration.

(Unless you support wanton death and murder on an industrial scale justified by Labour government lies. Perhaps you do…)
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/07/culture-media-sport-committee-failed-to-get-rupert-murdoch-to-accept-responsibility-for-phone-hacking/ Media committee failed to get Murdoch to accept responsibility | Left Foot Forward

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