Category Archives: Old media

More than 1,000 texts between NewsCorp and Jeremy Hunt office

12:32pm Thu May 24th

With former News Corporation lobbyist Fred Michel on the stand at Leveson Inquiry, evidence reveals more than 1,000 text messages between Michel, Jeremy Hunt and his office. The exchanges comprise around 800 texts from Michel and 257 from Smith.

With Robert Jay QC calmly stalking his evasive witness, here is what we have learned:

Hunt told Michel to liaise through “official channels” — after which Adam Smith handled communication
Michel admits that Jeremy Hunt supported the bid for BSkyB
NewsCorp briefed Hunt’s office with “helpful arguments”
Smith was using a personal email account for government business

Smith is in the room watching proceedings in person.

Will he blab? Jeremy Hunt adviser at Leveson Inquiry next Thursday

11:30am Fri May 18th

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News this morning that Adam Smith, the special advisor at the centre of Huntgate (watch your spoonerisms there), will be appearing at the Leveson Inquiry next Thursday afternoon. He will take the stand immediately after News Corporation Europe’s former public affairs boss Frederic Michel, whose communications with Jeremy Hunt’s office hold the key to the cabinet minister’s future.

The week promises to provide legion column inches, with Peter Mandelson (Monday), Tom Watson (Tuesday) and Jeremy Paxman (Wednesday) also appearing.

The Leveson Inquiry was set up pursuant to the Inquiries Act 2005. Falling on a sword to save your minister is one thing — perjury under oath is quite another.

George Osborne attempting to look cool while listening to a rock band

7:50pm Thu May 17th

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A favourite YouTube clip in the Scrapbook office is from Armando Ianucci’s Time Trumpet, in which a shallow David Cameron was filmed moving a charity wristband so it was clearly visible to the media – before quickly glancing to check that a camera crew would capture it.

But in his recent appearance on the Andrew Marr Show, George Osborne attempts to rival his neighbour for affectation. George looked distinctly unamused by Keane’s performance at the end of the programme. With another sly glance at the camera, however, he realises the nation is watching him and starts to bob his head.

He’ll be claiming he likes Arctic Monkeys next.

Rebekah Brooks charged with perverting the course of justice

9:54am Tue May 15th

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Rebekah Brooks, her husband Charlie and four people close to them will be charged with perverting the course of justice. The move comes after police uncovered an alleged cover up following the former News International executive’s original arrest.

A laptop and an iPad found were found dumped in a bin underneath the Brooks’ luxury apartment on 18 July last year – the day after Mrs Brooks was first detained over hacking allegations.

Police have the CCTV from the scene at which they were disposed.

Speaker orders Jeremy Hunt to face Parliament over BSkyB fiasco

3:43pm Mon May 14th

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John Bercow has effectively skewered Jeremy Hunt’s weak delaying tactics over his BSkyB bid fiasco — in which he has attempted to use the Leveson Inquiry as a ruse to dodge awkward questions from MPs.

Harriet Harman raised the following point of order in the Commons moments ago:

“it is in order for the Secretary of State to say that he won’t answer questions from Honourable Members because he’s going to tell Leveson”

“whether it is in order for the Secretary of State to say he won’t place documents in the Library because he’s giving them to Leveson.”

The Speaker has spoken: Jeremy Hunt is accountable to Parliament and not Leveson.

More: Clegg backed delaying tactics this morning »

Fake Rebekah Brooks causes mischief at Leveson Inquiry

3:19pm Mon May 14th

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It seems a ginger wig is all that is required to send confusion rippling through the lowest tier of the media ecosystem (paparazzi).

Those of you who spied a fake Rebekah Brooks interrupting a live TV interview outside Leveson (VIDEO) may be amused to see footage of producers remonstrating with comics who were dispatched on their gonzo video mission by Vice Magazine.

Waiting on Rebekah Brooks at Leveson…already seen a lookalike in black getting into the shot of BBC News team filming outside.
— Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) May 11, 2012

BBC presenter Matthew Amroliwala did not seem impressed.

Rebekah Brooks: David Cameron signed his texts to me “LOL”

12:14pm Fri May 11th

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Rebekah Brooks tells Leveson:

“Occasionally he would sign them off ‘LOL’, meaning ‘lots of love’. But I had to explain it meant ‘laugh our loud’.”

ROFL.

Indy on Sunday editor: ‘We’re not even best paper in our own building’

1:54pm Thu May 10th

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Hauled before the Leveson Inquiry to explain why details of Andy Coulson’s evidence had appeared in his newspaper, Independent on Sunday editor John Mullin had this to say earlier:

“We’re not the greatest newspaper in the world. We may not even be the greatest newspaper in our own building.”

Let’s hope Andy Coulson is as honest this afternoon.

Category Archives: Old media

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