Eulogy for Sir Alastair Burnet | Andrew Neil
Angus Stickler Has Previous | Telegraph
Man Regrets Romney Face Tat | Politico
Margaret Hodge’s Tax Hypocrisy | Telegraph
About Shoddy Journalism… | David Leigh
Harman Distances Herself From Watson | Mail
Boris on the BBC | Telegraph
Guido’s Column | Daily Star Sunday
French Tax Chocolate Spread | The Commentator
Harman Can’t Back Up Watson | Speccie
Watson a Zealot Who Hates Tories | Andrew Pierce
Angus Stickler Has Previous | Telegraph
Man Regrets Romney Face Tat | Politico
Margaret Hodge’s Tax Hypocrisy | Telegraph
About Shoddy Journalism… | David Leigh
Harman Distances Herself From Watson | Mail
Boris on the BBC | Telegraph
Guido’s Column | Daily Star Sunday
French Tax Chocolate Spread | The Commentator
Harman Can’t Back Up Watson | Speccie
Watson a Zealot Who Hates Tories | Andrew Pierce
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism told Lord Leveson:
“The organisation aims for its output and editorial processes to be a masterclass, a gold standard for evidence-based journalism of this kind.”
The NoTW exposed paedos.
The BBC employs them.
The BBC employs them.
Hodging Her Bets
“Are you lying to your shareholders” barked Margaret Hodge as she had her moment in the limelight chairing a Public Accounts Committee hearing this afternoon with representatives Google, Starbucks and Amazon – three global companies that pay huge amounts of tax in the UK, but perfectly legally and sensibly reduce their tax bills.Hodges’ mock incredulity, amateur dramatics and Vaz-esque playing to the camera would have carried more weight if she had not been busted over the weekend profiting as a shareholder from her family firm that paid just 0.01% tax in the UK last year. Were Stemcor’s directors lying to her as a shareholder? Or is Hodge just a spectacular hypocrite?
Sweaty Balls and Other Tales
The updated register of Members of Interests provided rich pickings for this week’s Daily Star Sunday column. Chris Huhne is cashing in on his Energy contacts, Nadine’s taking Ashcroft money and Labour have their very own absent earners. Guido’s favourite story of the week was the coming nightmare for Ed Balls:
The whole column is now online here.THE Tories have finally accepted that their cherished plan to redraw parliamentary boundaries, heavily favouring Labour at the moment, is dead in the water. They’ve begun to select candidates for the next election in the old seats. Ed Balls’ patch near Leeds is high up the target list. The Tories were just 1,101 votes short of scalping their nemesis last time round, fewer votes than the UKIP candidate got. If the Tories choose a suitably Eurosceptic candidate and UKIP sits this one out, Balls will have one hell of a fight on his hands.
BBC Director General Runners and Riders
Given that George Entwistle effectively pocketed almost £8,500 for each of his 53 days as Director General, there will be no shortage of candidates for the job. Guido gives you his own take on the runners and riders:
- Craig Oliver – The former BBC man turned embattled Downing Street comms chief is under pressure in his current job after a seemingly endless series of media foul-ups from the PM. Last week’s This Morning debacle will hardly have helped. This solution will work well for all concerned.
- Andrew Neil - Experience running Sky as their founding boss. One of the Beeb’s finest inquisitors, Brillo would surely get to the bottom of all that has been going on. Would need to remain on screen though.
- Andrew Marr – Handy Andy is a BBC stalwart and earned praise for his grilling of Lord Patten over the weekend. Is expected to rule himself out over alleged indiscretions in a Soho bar.
- David Dimbleby – A legend at Broadcasting House, Dimbers has graced our screens for decades. Making the step up would mean hanging up his Question Time boots. He certainly made the case for himself on Today this morning.
- Kelvin MacKenzie – It could be argued that more 90s-style tabloid hackery is just what the BBC needs. There would be none better for the job than Kelvin. Understands popular journalism.
- Piers Morgan – The CNN host might soon be out of job if his US election coverage was anything to go by. Certainly has the experience in the media, though a future court date is the last thing the BBC needs.
- James Murdoch – An outside bet but one that would certainly stir things up. Has a proven track record of successfully running major media corporations and dealing with scandal. They could hardly do worse…
WATCH: Acting DG Walks Out Mid-Way Through Sky Interview
Here is the excruciating moment Tim Davie walked out of only his second interview as acting Director General:
Well done to the BBC for choosing yet another leader with such wonderful media and people skills.
Well done to the BBC for choosing yet another leader with such wonderful media and people skills.
Patten Defends Indefensible Entwistle Pay-Off
Government Stand-Off Brewing
The BBC chairman defending the indefensible – Entwistle’s huge pay-off despite only being contracted for less:
So far Downing Street have said this is “hard to justify”. Any upping in that rhetoric and this will be a full blown stand-off…
So far Downing Street have said this is “hard to justify”. Any upping in that rhetoric and this will be a full blown stand-off…
“Googling REDACTED”: Another Guardian Hack Witch Hunt
Guido agreed with every word of Dan Sabbagh’s sensible piece on Twitter witch hunts today. Unfortunately the Guardian’s media sage hasn’t been taking his own advice. Just ten days ago Sabbagh tweeted that he was googling the name of a child abuse victim who has alleged online that he was the victim of an assault by a serving MP. The tweet has now been deleted…
Iain Overton Resigns From the Bureau of Smears
The man who sent that now infamous tweet on the morning of theNewsnight McAlpine report has resigned from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Their Managing Editor Iain Overton’s name no longer appears on the BIJ website. Another stunning success for the operation that before this had revealed that Bell Pottinger broke Wikipedia’s terms of use and smeared Help for Heroes. Supporters are running for the hills…
UPDATE:
Iain Overton has told friends that he had no editorial control over Newsnight McAlpine film and deeply regrets ceding his responsibilities
UPDATE: TBIJ have released another statement. The word missing is ‘sorry’…
Sally Says Sorry
Sally Bercow has apologised for naming Lord McAlpine on twitter last week. She’s now expecting a lawyer’s letter:
McAlpine’s team is reportedly scouring the internet for any mention of his name. A certain Guardian journalist should be feeling nervous…“Yes, I have apologised for McAlpine tweet. In which I noted that his name was trending (which, at the time, it was). I was irresponsible. I have not heard from McAlpine’s lawyers. Tho’ I may do. As may thousands of Twitter users, some of whom tweeted far worse. Very sorry. Was irresponsible & mischievous. Libellous? I don’t think so. But we’ll have to see…”
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