The UK Prime Minister David Cameron, his deputy Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne, business secretary Vince Cable, Culture Secretary James Hunt, Education Secretary Michael Gove, Justice Secretary Ken Clarke and Home Secretary Theresa May will all give evidence next week at the Leveson inquiry into the phone hacking scandal, sleaze and corruption.
This move would initially appear to be highly commendable, wouldn't it? What is not commendable is the decision which granted them "core participant status" at the inquiry. This means that they will be allowed to see the witness statements from those people who have already appeared.
Of course they will then have full knowledge of what has already been stated, This must influence their statements, without a doubt. The papers given to them will include written statements from the previous Chief Executive of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, and former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks.
The decision to forearm the honourable Ministers ensures that any comparisons or cross examinations between the various statements will pointless. Surely this will defeat the point of the inquiry and each of their appearances?
The Ministers are to attend the Leveson inquiry next week and it could still reveal damaging details of "liaisons" between various people, such as Mr Cameron's close relationship with Andy Coulson. This led to Cameron employing him as a Communications Secretary at 10 Downing Street even after Mr Coulson been sacked from his media role for phone hacking. Furthermore, Mr Murdoch's close relationship with the Conservation Party as a whole and with ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher will be under scrutiny.
The application was granted after Mr Murdoch's son James forwarded damaging emails between James Hunt, his adviser Adam Smith and a Murdoch lobbyist. Two questions still remains to be answered and they are, why and how Andy Coulson managed to get the job as Mr Cameron's spin doctor in the first place?
Ms Rebekah Brooks will attend the inquiry on Friday. She of course could blow the whole situation wide open if she gives evidence on her friendship with David Cameron. There is an expectation that emails and text messages could be made public. She kept all of them. It is known that there were about a dozen a day or so from the Prime Minister. Mr Coulson will give public evidence for the first times since he was arrested on suspicion of phone hacking.
Hopefully the public will be informed of the full facts, which they deserve to know. That is supposed to be what democracy is all about. The fact that the "hacking" involved murder cases makes it more urgent than ever that we, the public, find out what happened.
Treating these Ministers differently though is discriminatory especially as it involves mostly people who are all, highly educated, and who occupy top positions.
Tags: Leveson inquiry, UK phone hacking, Ministers at Leveson Inquiry, core participant status
This move would initially appear to be highly commendable, wouldn't it? What is not commendable is the decision which granted them "core participant status" at the inquiry. This means that they will be allowed to see the witness statements from those people who have already appeared.
Of course they will then have full knowledge of what has already been stated, This must influence their statements, without a doubt. The papers given to them will include written statements from the previous Chief Executive of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, and former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks.
The decision to forearm the honourable Ministers ensures that any comparisons or cross examinations between the various statements will pointless. Surely this will defeat the point of the inquiry and each of their appearances?
The Ministers are to attend the Leveson inquiry next week and it could still reveal damaging details of "liaisons" between various people, such as Mr Cameron's close relationship with Andy Coulson. This led to Cameron employing him as a Communications Secretary at 10 Downing Street even after Mr Coulson been sacked from his media role for phone hacking. Furthermore, Mr Murdoch's close relationship with the Conservation Party as a whole and with ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher will be under scrutiny.
The application was granted after Mr Murdoch's son James forwarded damaging emails between James Hunt, his adviser Adam Smith and a Murdoch lobbyist. Two questions still remains to be answered and they are, why and how Andy Coulson managed to get the job as Mr Cameron's spin doctor in the first place?
Ms Rebekah Brooks will attend the inquiry on Friday. She of course could blow the whole situation wide open if she gives evidence on her friendship with David Cameron. There is an expectation that emails and text messages could be made public. She kept all of them. It is known that there were about a dozen a day or so from the Prime Minister. Mr Coulson will give public evidence for the first times since he was arrested on suspicion of phone hacking.
Hopefully the public will be informed of the full facts, which they deserve to know. That is supposed to be what democracy is all about. The fact that the "hacking" involved murder cases makes it more urgent than ever that we, the public, find out what happened.
Treating these Ministers differently though is discriminatory especially as it involves mostly people who are all, highly educated, and who occupy top positions.
Tags: Leveson inquiry, UK phone hacking, Ministers at Leveson Inquiry, core participant status
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