Lord Duckhunter

Whilst Murdoch's papers were Labour supporting nothing was said. Police were paid (admitted to Parliament in 2003) for information, phones were hacked (Clive goodman was jailed in 2007), medical records were obtained (Brown's son in 2006). This is what Ben Bradshaw said on Daily Politics "That was a discussion in the cabinet in the last year of the Labour government about whether to have a public inquiry . Gordon Brown had the added political difficulty that he was seen as a weakened Prime Minister. If we had gone down that route there would have been a hail storm not just from the Murdoch press but from all the other hostile media that we were just trying to find a diversion or an excuse" So the Labour cabinet, that included Ed Milliband decided against public enquiry for political reasons. Therefore, surely it is a political issue as well as a moral one, particulary when the people making this political decision are the ones doing most of the shouting against Murdoch.

Surely it is "political point scoring" to be disgusted by some investigating, but not when it concerns a "notorious tax-avoider", who just so happens to be a leftie bogeyman. Political point scoring is surely going onto the BBC, telling of your tears and distress over an incident that happened in 2006, yet in 2009 you attend the wedding of the person who caused such distress, and your wife invited the same person to spend a weekend at your holiday home, again after the event. Brown has never got over the fact that NI turned against him and he is now touring the TV studios, not because of some moral Crusade, or outrage (as Tom Watson has done), but on the basis of revenge. The whole episode has showed parts of the press in a terrible light, but it has also shown the hypocrisy at the very heart of this country. From the millions "appalled" at the behaviour of Murdoch's empire, whilst buying the Sun and watching Sky. To people like Steve Coogan, who happily take the millions on offer for starring in 20th Century Fox films. Add to that the audacity of some of Labour's good and great waging war against NI after attending weddings, parties and generally cosing up to them, makes me sick. Brooks admitted to parliament in March 2003 that the police were paid for information. No, action from a Labour Govt, no enquires, just wedding invites for Brown, Blair and Campbell. Lord Ashcroft issued a statement saying "In March 2002, Sir Nick Montagu, then the chairman of the Inland Revenue, wrote personally to me saying: “It is now clear that the caller was masquerading as you, and I am extremely sorry that we failed to spot as bogus someone who was able to give a reference number which matched your name and who displayed some familiarity with your tax affairs. Sir Nick referred the matter to the Information Commissioner and, a year later, I learnt from an investigating officer acting for the Commissioner that, in fact, five calls had been received by the Inland Revenue, between 9 and 14 February 2001, from someone who purported to be me. " Do lefties find this illegal act disgusting, or did he have it coming?

I presume the Lefties are equally disgusted that Lord Ashcroft's personal details were targetted.

And why did he attend the Editors wedding some 3 years AFTER this illegal act? Could it be that things changed once the Murdoch press changed their support back to the Torys?

Is that the same Murdoch that Labour cozied up to for years and years, or a different one? Was Murdoch aware, or conduct any of the hacking? I presume you are so sickened that you wont watch Sky or a 20th Century Fox film?

I was dissapointed with John Yate's reveiw of the evidence back in 2006. He is clearly an incompant police officer who is too close to the political leaders. Maybe some of his earlier cases should be looked at again, including his "Cash for peerages inquiry"?

Not enough distress to stop them attending Brook’s wedding in June 2009...... Or Brooks attending a "sleepover" of female friends of Sarah Brown's at Chequers in 2008. They were obviously over the distress and had made up, but like the rest of the Labour Party are leaking stuff to show just how much distance is between themselves and Brooks. It's pitiful, they were in it as deep as the Torys.

He seems like a nice guy............. "He hit the headlines in July 2003 when he became one of the first journalists to name David Kelly as Andrew Gilligan's source of information about the dossier into Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. As a result he was summoned as a witness before the Hutton inquiry into Kelly's death." http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/13/tom-baldwin-ed-miliband-spin-doctor

So perhaps Ashcroft's allegations have some legs. http://order-order.com/tag/tom-baldwin/

Spot on. Dont buy The Sun, The Times, have a sky subscription, go and watch 20th Century Fox films. That's too much for the hypocrites, complain about Murdoch and rally against his evil empire, whilst buying his goods. Steve Coogan was ranting and raving on Newsnight and yet when it comes to starring in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" for 20th Century Fox, well that's quite a different matter. Email your MP, you'll be able to tell your friends about the brave fight you've put up against the Murdoch's.You would have done your bit, and still be able to watch Premiership football from the comfort of your living room.

It is ********,that these allagations are being made on the basis that they are "after" Milliband, these allagations have been around for ages. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/534769.stm "They insist the latest details could only have been obtained by hacking into the party's bank accounts. " Amanda Platell said on The Andrew Marr Show that this was suspected back when she worked for William Hague, and as the story says they appeared in Ashcroft's book 5 years ago. Surely it is legitimate for a paper to investigate whether people's bank accounts were hacked into or an attempt made to hack into.

Ah, but where is the "middle" ground? It has moved somewhat to the right, with Labour only being able to get elected with a right facing party. In fact they were so determined to move to the right, they rebranded themselves and abadonded principles they had held for many years. England is mainly a right wing country, with only the Jocks and Taffs keeping the Torys out. The reason the NOTW, Mail and Sun (which seem to be the 3 papers that get up lefties noses) sell so many copies is their politics is to the right and that is where the majority sit. Even when The Sun was supporting New Labour, their slant on Europe, and other major issues was always to the right.

It would be interesting to see the sales figures for the Sun and Times over the past few days.

The circulation figures for this Sunday will obviously be down, but a bloke on Newsnight said last night, that it will last a couple of Sundays and then be back to normal levels. Lets see what the NOTW circulation figures are in 3 months time, and then we'll get a fuller picture of just how outraged the British people are. The British people have it in their hands to ruin Murdoch, we dont need new laws, if people dont buy his papers and cancel their Sky subscriptions, and advertisers dont advertise he's finished. If people continue to pour money into his coffers, all the condemnation from the likes of Hugh Grant & Lord Presscott count for nothing. I'm afraid the British people like reading his papers and watching Sky and although disgusted by what's going on, aren't so disgusted that they will stop doing so.In that respect DP is right, it does say a lot about our Country..........

I agree, but its quite shameful and Labour should rise above that. Somebody posted earlier about Cameron's links to Brooks, but Gordon Brown attended her wedding. When she was arressted for attacking Ross Kemp, she had been out that afternoon with David Blunkett. News international has it's tenticles in all of public life, and Labour would be better off not trying to score political points.

Makes you wonder how Lawrie signed Osgood, Ball,Keegan ect. He was hardly a big name manager like Don revie, Bill Shankly or Brian Clough.

Exactly, It's a shame Ed Milliband didn't think of that before PMQ's.

labour politician's are full of crap over this. I've just heard Alister Campbell giving his views on the evils of the press.Unbeliveable.......... This is a bloke who courted the Murdoch press when it suited him, sexed up a dossier to send our kids to war and punched Michael White when he who made a joke about his big buddy Robert Maxwell. I dont recall too many Torys making political points when Maxwell's wrong doing came to light, but Labour are desperate to link this to Cameron.

Not at all, I've known the guy all my life and my 73 year old Dad went to school with his Dad. Over the years both his Dad( who was a journo) and my mate have told me a hell of a lot of stuff, way too much to post. Answer me this then. The editor of the NOTW goes in front of a selcet commettee and admitts paying the police, there is no song and dance about it, no scandal,no calls for any charges, why was that? Because it's common practise.

It's a bit more subtle than that. It's about building up relationships with officers over the years. His Dad was a journo, so he has a lot of contacts that way. A lot of the time young officers pass on bits they hear around the station. My mates quite good at getting tickets for shows and that, maybe he can get tickets for the young PC for a sell out show.................

My mate works for a press agency, his agency has paid the police, I geniunely thought that it was a given that everybody knew that. His agency (which has paid the police) do work for all the papers including the broadsheets, and have sold stories to the broadsheets where they've used dodgy methods to get the stories........ I clearly remember a time we were in the pub and he said he needed an early night because he had to get up early as someone was being arrested in the morning. Sure enough there it was on South Today the following night. It was a PC that had tipped him off.

I doubt if there's a journo, press agency or editor that hasn't paid the police at one time. Including Alister Campbell...........

It was common knowledge to parliament for years. If it was such a big deal why didn't the Govt of the day do something about it, back in 2003. Although, weren't NOTW a Labour supporting paper then? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13092045

He gets his photos in all papers, not just "gutter". He works for an agency, who I've no doubt paid the police. It's not as simple as good or bad press

The police tip the press off, my mates a photographer and he's been tipped off by the police hundreds of times.