NEWS INTERNATIONAL
The scandal over revelations that Rupert Murdoch’s News International have been employing private investigators to tap into the mobile phones of hundreds of high profile individuals in the UK constitutes clear evidence that this is an organisation out of control, run by individuals who practice journalism in the manner of gangsters running a criminal empire.
And just like a criminal empire, there is a strong prima facie case for suggesting that collusion between sections of the British establishment, and indeed possibly even the police, with News International have ensured that the writ of Rupert Murdoch in this country, his ability to wield a distorting influence over the body politic, has brought our democracy into disrepute. As such, the power and influence which Murdoch wields through his newspaper and media empire demands a full and independent public inquiry.
Unbelievably, in response to the story carried by The Guardian newspaper, the assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, John Yates, issued a statement yesterday saying that the Met would not be investigating the allegations into phone tapping, and would not be reopening its files into the investigation of Clive Goodman, the former royal editor of the News of the World who received a four month sentence back in 2007 for arranging for the phones of various members of the Royal Family to be tapped; this despite the fact that evidence has also emerged, hitherto kept secret, that News International had previously paid an estimated £1 million in compensation to various parties who’ve been the victims of phone tapping other than those parties covered in the original Goodman case.
According to The Guardian, among the victims of News International’s widespread operation to monitor the phone messages of hundreds of ‘high profile’ people are former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, Lib-Dem MP, Simon Hughes, PFA chief executive, Gordon Taylor (who was paid £700,000 not to go to court), Boris Johnson, Alex Ferguson, Alan Shearer, not to mention the hundreds of others who’ve yet to be named.
In Scotland, these revelations must cast a giant shadow of doubt over the entire civil and legal case involving Tommy Sheridan. Back in 2006, when Sheridan was still a sitting MSP, a listening device was found in the back of his car. The resulting police investigation into the provenance of this device failed to result in charges being brought against any individual or organisation. Surely, with these latest revelations, this investigation must be re-opened with a clear line of inquiry being followed over the possibility of News International’s involvement.
Indeed, it seems almost inevitable that one of the hundreds of high profile victims of News International’s illegal surveillance operation has been Tommy Sheridan. As such, given that Sheridan and his wife are currently facing perjury charges arising from the original civil case against News International, legal steps must now be taken to investigate whether this is in fact the case and, if so, to examine grounds for dismissal.
The way in which the leaders of both the main political parties vie for Murdoch’s largesse in the form of favourable media coverage reflects the inherent democratic deficit which exists in this country. More importantly, first with the economic crisis, then the political crisis, this latest scandal to engulf the largest and most powerful member of the Fourth Estate provides further evidence that the entire edifice of power which is the British state is crumbling at its very foundations.
This latest scandal demands nothing less than a police investigation into News International and its illegal activities over the past few years. Anything less would be a scandal in itself.
Sheridan hearing due on monday I believe.
Comment by Jim Carroll — 10 July, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
Three big stories that in recent months have dominated the news, and will continue to do so for some time to come, bolster the NUJ’s case that there is no substitute for well-resourced quality journalism.
Read on at http://bit.ly/rb7HQ
Comment by Rich S — 10 July, 2009 @ 5:54 pm
Yes, Sheridan’s got a pleading diet on Monday.
Comment by Albert — 10 July, 2009 @ 6:01 pm
Bit desperate, John, don’t you think?
Comment by Albert — 10 July, 2009 @ 6:04 pm
“In Scotland, these revelations must cast a giant shadow of doubt over the entire civil and legal case involving Tommy Sheridan. Back in 2006, when Sheridan was still a sitting MSP, a listening device was found in the back of his car. The resulting police investigation into the provenance of this device failed to result in charges being brought against any individual or organisation. Surely, with these latest revelations, this investigation must be re-opened with a clear line of inquiry being followed over the possibility of News International’s involvement.
Indeed, it seems almost inevitable that one of the hundreds of high profile victims of News International’s illegal surveillance operation has been Tommy Sheridan. As such, given that Sheridan and his wife are currently facing perjury charges arising from the original civil case against News International, legal steps must now be taken to investigate whether this is in fact the case and, if so, to examine grounds for dismissal.”
I would be very surprised if Tommy was not bugged by News International with or without support from other agencies both here and abroad. This must be investigated (strange the police as so so slow on the updake is it not - just which service is pulling the strings?). This is no small matter as the Socialist movement in Scotland has been torn apart (was this not what was intended?) as a result of the court case against Tommy and his wife. The case should be dropped forwith and Tommy and all involved paid compensation for all the suffering and stress involved.
It requires a full inquiry which all on the Left should support - who else did they bug on the Left?
Latest news from Defend Tommy Sheridan Campaign
Show support on Monday
Organisers of the campaign set up to defend Tommy Sheridan against a political witch-hunt have called on supporters to rally outside of the High Court when Sheridan and his partner Gail appear at a preliminary hearing. Jim Monaghan, spokesperson for the Defend Tommy Sheridan Campaign, said:
“we are calling on supporters of the campaign, and others with an interest in justice, to come to the court to show their support for Tommy and Gail. Politicians who claim expenses fraudulently are seemingly immune from the law, yet Tommy is singled out for a massive investigation that is going nowhere. From the start, this case has been a political witch hunt.”
The hearing takes place on Monday 13 July at 10.00am at Edinburgh’s High Court.
Comment by Neil Williams — 10 July, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
would be intresting to know what payments have or have not been paid by news international and/or its journalist to individual police officers
strange how some in the press always knew about (and photographers)to the arrest of prominent people
Comment by Tim — 10 July, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
John wight’s piece does not address the fundamental question. Did Sheridan commit perjury.
I know where my money is.
It’s a disgrace for Hugh Kerr to characterise this as a political witchhunt. The truth is far more straightforward.
But then, without Sheridan, the likes of Hugh Kerr are nothing.
Comment by Albert — 10 July, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
#7- I have no idea whether Sheridan committed perjury or not and I care very little either way. If everytime conflicting evidence was given in court by people giving evidence for the prosecution and in defence then the The News of the Worlf amd its like tell lies everytime they are printed IMO
Comment by Helen Jaffray — 10 July, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
-8. There was no prosecution or defence. The allegation is that Sheridan launched a legal action, dragging lots of people into court, then lied to win a case and obtain money. It’s not shades of grey, helen. It’s just not.
Comment by Albert — 10 July, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
#9- I’d rather believe a jury that heard all the evidence. The News of the World tells lies on a regular basis IMO as do sections of the police and other arms of the state. It is setting a very dangerous precedent that everytime the rich & powerful lose a case they can rely on the police and courts to not accept that and launch very costly investigation and show trial.
News International have been shown to use illegal methods to get its stories and I dont believe for a minute that the only people targetted were the royals. Still if it suits your agenda…..
Comment by Helen Jaffray — 10 July, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
I think certain senior police officers are worried about sniffing around Murdoch for fear of retaliation.
Note that Cameron announced last week he’d castrate Ofcom, the quango that’s pushing for Sky to share some of it’s channels with other networks.
Btw, I wish Tommy the best of luck.
Comment by Charlie Marks — 10 July, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
-10. Is your view that people should generally get away with crimes? Or is it just people who’ve duped you?
Comment by Dennis — 10 July, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
no I dont think people should generally get away with crimes and hopefully News International dont get away with anymore
Comment by Helen Jaffray — 10 July, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
Why anyone is surprised by this is beyond me. The NoTW is what it has always been. No friend of the left. Gutter press. Invasion of privacy by that organ of the press is a long standing practice.
Why have high profile people not organised themselves before now to take on that rag and the countless other media print just like it?
Just because illegal means have been used?
Invasion of privacy can just as easily happen through legal means.
Could it be that for some high profile individuals like acotors, politicians etc, that even bad news is better than no news.
As far as the Sheridans are concerned, I cant see what difference this revelation makes.They did not oppose the NOTW on the grounds that it was an invasion of privacy.
Defamation and perjury need not have come into it at all.
Someone should have recommended that to them. But he doesn’t strike me as the listening type.
Too bad.
Comment by Agnes — 11 July, 2009 @ 8:14 am
@Agnes “Why have high profile people not organised themselves before now to take on that rag”
Because, through its pro-business, anti-union, anti-public service, anti-left, anti-working class agenda, the Murdoch-owned NoTW represents the interests of those “high profile” people I assume you’re calling on to bring it down. That the paper - and others like it - successfully disguises the fact that it doesn’t actually represent the interests of its readers from the overwhelming majority of its readers is, I’m afraid, down to the sheer skill of its editors and executives.
Comment by Rich S — 11 July, 2009 @ 10:07 am
I find it strange that there are socialists who seem to think that it is more important to put Tommy Sheridan in the dock than News International.
Most socialists I know don’t give two figs about the chip paper allegations against Tommy Sheridan. They look at Tommy’s record as a campaigning and fighting socialist over two decades and the record of News International and know instinctively whose side they should be on.
Certain interests keep insisting that the SSP was ‘dragged’ into a court case. Yet at its National Council which I and about 50 others -who have since left the SSP - attended in the immediate aftermath of Tommy Sheridan’s resignation as convenor it was agreed overwhelmingly that TS, having stepped down as convenor, had every right to pursue proceedings in relation to the allegations and the SSP had no locus in the matter.
Had this position been maintained it is very likely that the NOTW would have settled out of court and just possible the SSP may not have split.
Comment by steve arnott — 11 July, 2009 @ 11:12 am
I’m surprised that comments are being allowed on the merits/substance of a live Scottish criminal case.
Comment by populardemand — 11 July, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
#16 what comments in particular ? there is nothing here that I havent read similar type comments on the net and capitalist media about lots of diffeent cases over the years both civil and criminal. Whose agenda does it suit if we can’t express opinions?
Comment by Helen Jaffray — 11 July, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
#17
Contempt of court is taken rather more seriously in Scotland than it is in England. The notion is that the jury should try the case based on the evidence they hear and see in court rather than what they read or hear in the media or the internet.
It’s up to admin what they allow, which is fair enough, given that it’s them who risk prosecution.
Comment by populardemand — 11 July, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
#19 on what evidence do you base your assertion that contempt of court is taken more seriously in Scotland than England ? Juries in England and in lots of other countries have the same guidance to base their judgement on what they are presented with in court. FYI I am Scottish, live in Scotland and have had involvement with the justice system in Scotland on a more than one occasion.
Some people would rather not have a discussion on this and hope that capitalist justice will suit their ends - very trusting but historically shown to be no consolation to many socialists and workers.
Comment by Helen Jaffray — 11 July, 2009 @ 5:19 pm
“Had this position been maintained it is very likely that the NOTW would have settled out of court and just possible the SSP may not have split.”
Shame on you, Steve Arnott. Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame.
Comment by Dennis — 11 July, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
TOMMY GO LAD GO
Comment by steelcityred — 11 July, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
-22. I think you’ll find Tommy is going.
Comment by Dennis — 11 July, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
Dennis, what are your thoughts on News International as an organisation?
Comment by unity - you know it makes sense — 12 July, 2009 @ 11:21 am
24 - It’s like any big corporation, as far as I can see.
My views on News International don’t change my view of Sheridan, who is going to plead tomorrow.
I’m betting three years for him. Two for his accomplice.
Comment by Albert — 12 July, 2009 @ 11:40 am
Did anyone read this article in yesterday’s Guardian, and wonder if he was talking about the Sheridan case?
“One of the tabloids’ biggest stories of recent years was about a politician’s sexual habits, which had first been leaked by the security services to a private investigator with links to the tabloids. He then carried out his own surveillance operation to gather further concrete evidence before presenting the story to a tabloid, which duly published every sordid detail, knowing full well the story had been “copper-bottomed” by undeniable subterfuge.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/11/notw-phone-hacking-private-investigators
Not unlikely that some branches of the secret state might have been keeping tabs on the SSP for other reasons, and come across some dirt on Tommy Sheridan they would have passed on to contacts to cause a little mischief. Pity Sheridan took the bait.
As a well-wisher of the SSP, who thinks they were 95% in the right in the stand they took in 2006, I hope the perjury case doesn’t come to trial - I don’t want to see Sheridan or anybody else go to jail because of the whole mess, let people draw their own conclusions about whether he was telling the truth and whether he did the right thing, without letting the courts decide. I doubt any of the senior Murdoch scumbags who presided over the criminal actions brought to light lately will have any reason to worry about seeing the inside of a prison cell, so why should left activists go to jail for much less (and I think Sheridan’s behaviour was completely shabby and indefensible, so I’m not making this argument out of fondness for him)
Comment by Ed W — 12 July, 2009 @ 8:51 pm
“Public figures and celebrities who fear they were the subjects of the phone hacking have been contacting lawyers. The Bethnal Green and Bow MP George Galloway said he was seeing if any action could be taken. The politician had clashed with the paper in 2006 when its investigations editor, Mahzer Mahmood, attempted to “sting” him at a hotel and implicate him in illegal political funding.
Rod Christie-Miller, partner at the specialist media law firm Schillings, said: “Clients are going to want to see what comes out. Sooner or later there is going to be more concrete evidence about who has been targeted.”
Christie-Miller said his firm was already suspicious that phone hacking could have been used against high-profile clients before the story broke.
“It is something we were concerned may have been happening,” he added. “We have advised clients to change settings on phones and turn off bluetooth.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/12/phone-hacking-targets-claims
Well it would be no surprise if George had his phone hacked. If I was Tommy Sheridan I would also be consulting legal advise alongside George Galloway as both are very likely to be on the News Internaional target list (at the top) - Tommy should also raise this isssue in the Edinburgh’s High Court on Monday!
Comment by Neil Williams — 12 July, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Here’s the publicly available copy of the indictment against Tommy Sheridan, which is worth reading closely.
It certainly seems to be a massive conspiracy.
http://theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2519695.0.Sheridan_perjuy_case_full_indictment.php
Comment by Graham — 13 July, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
#28 phew!
Surely charge 1 can only have been initated by C. Fox himself? Whatever can be said either way about the second array of “charges” that first one is an eye opener!
Comment by Anonymous — 13 July, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
#25 Interesting answer Albert as I asked the question of “Dennis”.
Could it be that this anti-Sheridan tag team is in fact one and the same person?
I think we should be told!
Comment by unity - you know it makes sense — 13 July, 2009 @ 6:16 pm
The indictment reveals Sheridan’s brother-in-law is a crown witness.
This is a massive conspiracy with 180 prosecution witnesses, including relatives of the Sheridans.
Comment by Graham — 14 July, 2009 @ 8:04 am
he is on the list of witnesses that the crown can call, he isnt a witness for the crowns case!
Comment by Jim Monaghan — 14 July, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
Lets get this clear, the indictment doesnt say that Sheridans brother in law or Gails aunt are witnesses ‘for’ the crown. The idea being pushed is that, as their address as listed as “c/o police’, that this means they are on the prosecution side of the case. This is misinformation. “c/o police” is simply a method of protecting witnesses and doesnt indicate what sort of evidence they will give. Straw clutching in the extreme
Comment by Jim Monaghan — 14 July, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
28# Most of the indictment will be withdrawn as much of it is hearsay. I think the allegations by Trolle will be played out in court.
There is now an obvious cover up by the editor on the alleged phone tapping in Scotland. And a reluctance by the police to investigate it.
The defence lawyers and QCs will have a field day on points of law. We have got to move on from this comic opera.
BTW I did donate to his defence appeal as I dont like people being incarcerated, even a tainted socialist. Tommy has brought it on himself if he goes down.
Comment by larry — 14 July, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
Larry, you don’t know it’s hearsay.
Sheridan, T - 5 years
Sheridan, G - 3 years
And the rest will then be prosecuted and get two years apiece.
Comment by Graham — 14 July, 2009 @ 6:55 pm