David Cameron at Leveson
- My colleague Mo Abbas writes:
Prime Minister David Cameron will face questions at a judicial inquiry on Thursday about accusations his government tailored policy to pamper media mogul Rupert Murdoch's business interests.
Read the full preview here - uk.reuters.com - The PM has arrived at the High Court in London, and should start giving evidence in the next few minutes.
- Cameron has been sworn in, here we go.
- Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, once again leads the questioning.
- The job of a SPAD is to "be a bit of a sponge" for his minister who doesn't have time #levesoncomment by katecomments via twitter 6/14/2012 9:07:34 AM
- Jay asks the PM about his early career as a special advisor at the Home Office. Cameron describes the role as being a "sponge" for the minister you are working for.
- Cameron is then asked about his time working for Carlton Communications and relationship building with journalists. The PM says he first formed relationships with political journalists when he was a SpAd, and some of those journalists are still around today. Cameron adds that his time at Carlton gave him some insight into how a newsroom works.
- Cameron looking nervous. Difficult day ahead for him #Levesoncomment by D_Button via twitter 6/14/2012 9:14:54 AM
- Round-the-clock news channels have put newspapers in a difficult position, says Cameron, as the news has already broken by the time they go to press, forcing them to look for a new angle. Cam doesn't like this change.
TV is therefore an "incredibly powerful" way of communicating with the public, says Cameron. - "All parents are worried about their children". Particularly the ones that have been left in a pub, presumably...
- #cameron says relationship between politicians and media has gone bad. both need to prove they're worthy of respect again #levesonby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:20:47 AM
- On the subject of campaigns by newspapers, Cameron says some can be "extraordinarily important" (he cites the example of Sarah's Law, launched by the News of the World following the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000), while others can be "just about what the editor cares about.
- #cameron - relationship between politicians and media has never been perfect but has been too close in last 20 yearsby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:23:46 AM
- Cameron adds that he thinks it's good that campaigns such as Sarah's Law are put forward, they can sometimes be "condescending" and "actually the public were quite worried about this."
- #cameron praises ed miliband, says he put quite well the conflicts of interest politicians face in regulating the media #levesonby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:28:34 AM
- The phone hacking and expenses scandals have soured relations between press and politicians, says Cameron. He adds: "Some politicians think the press always gets things wrong, some journalists think politicians are only out for themselves. Respect has to be earned on both sides."
- The PM on regulation: "I don't think the regulatory system we have at the moment works, and so we need to improve it."
- Cameron at #leveson: "Newspaper campaigns are "extraordinarily important and powerful"comment by newsroomgirl via twitter 6/14/2012 9:30:55 AM
- Asking politicians about how news is reported is like asking farmers about the weather - people will always complain #Levesoncomment by philbaillie via twitter 6/14/2012 9:31:55 AM
- Politicians have to get out of the 24hr news cycle and need 'greater distance' from media #Leveson #Cameroncomment by philbaillie via twitter 6/14/2012 9:31:57 AM
- Relationship between media and politicians has 'not been right' over last 20 years #Leveson #Cameroncomment by philbaillie via twitter 6/14/2012 9:31:59 AM
- Cameron on the relationship between the media and politicians: "I think we need to get it on a better footing."
Judge Leveson says he doesn't see how regulation will help this, as it seems to be a "culture thing." Cameron responds by saying the current culture means regulation is being "glossed over." - Next, Cameron is asked what he thought about Tony Blair's "feral beasts" speech about the press, which the former PM gave back in 2007. Cameron says: "I can't remember what I said at the time... I have a horrible feeling I didn't give it much of a backing."
- All very low key so far, when are we going to get to the LOLs to Rebekah Brooks?
- #cameron says it's a forlorn hope to think you can separate news and opinion any more #levesonby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:42:10 AM
- @Reuters_RossChainey Not until after lunch is safely down, hopefully...
- #cameron - wrong to blame everything on new labour, but arrival of new labour combined with 24 hour news agenda lies behind some of problemsby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:45:34 AM
- Cameron says politicians will put more effort into the 6pm news bulletin than the coverage in a national newspaper.
- We're still on 24 hour news channels, folks...
- Guardian's David Leigh NOT to be charged by CPS over phone hacking he wrote about in 2006. Public interest engaged says CPS.comment by Dan Sabbagh via twitter 6/14/2012 9:47:11 AM
- #cameron denies overt or covert deals between conservative party and news international #levesonby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:48:54 AM
- Cameron says he has never "traded a policy" to win the support of a particular media outlet.
- #cameron says you have to take care when you have personal relationships with members of the press but he thinks he's done that #levesonby georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 9:49:26 AM
- Keep up with PM at Leveson with @chrisshipitv - but while that is going on, borrowing costs for Spain hit 7 percent - scary thresholdcomment by Laura Kuenssberg via twitter 6/14/2012 9:50:15 AM
- Cameron rejects the idea of a 'transactional relationship' between politicians and journalists #Leveson #Cameronby philbaillie via twitter 6/14/2012 9:51:02 AM
- On covert deals with media outlets, Cameron says: "[I] don't believe in this theory there was a nod and a wink and some sort of agreement."
- Cameron says that he of course wanted to win the support of newspapers, but adds, "I didn't do it on the basis of saying overtly or covertly that your support will give you a better [position] on this policy or that policy."
- Cameron describes politicians briefing against each other (think Alistair Darling's claim that Gordon Brown unleashed the 'forces of hell' against him) as one of the "dreadful things" that have crept into life in the House of Commons.
- Cameron: "We should have a vigorous press. They should give us a good going over."
- Adventitious. - who had that on Jay buzzword bingo?comment by Dan Sabbagh via twitter 6/14/2012 10:00:42 AM
- No overt, no covert deals between NewsInt + the Tories says Cameron. (what was there, then, over breakfast, lunch + dinner?)comment by Dan Sabbagh via twitter 6/14/2012 10:00:46 AM
- The overriding impression I get from Cameron's evidence this morning is that he really, really likes telly. He says: "A huge amount of time when I became leader of the Conservative party was spent working out how to get our message across on television."
- #cameron - a lot of newspaper editors have very strong views, but "i think in the end a lot of these newspapers follow their readers' views"by georginius via twitter 6/14/2012 10:04:02 AM
- On his relationships with media executives, Cameron says he has known some of them for 20-30 years. The PM says: "You can't unmake the friendships that you have."
- Cameron's hack friends - danny finkelstein, alice thomson, sarah vine, times; xan smiley chris lockwood, economist, robert hardman, mailcomment by Dan Sabbagh via twitter 6/14/2012 10:05:17 AM
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