For the umpteenth time, David Cameron failed to fully apologise for brining the poison of Andy Coulson into Downing Street, in a Commons debate on phone hacking.
For the umpteenth time, the prime minister failed to fully apologise for brining the poison of Andy Coulson into Downing Street, defending his former communications chief and refusing to answer all Ed Miliband’s questions – dismissing concerns about Coulson as “feeble conspiracy theories”.
He did, however, raise even more questions by claiming that “in hindsight” he would not have hired Coulson – despite all the evidence about Coulson’s past being out there at the time, and despite several of his inner circle knowing all the facts.
It’s not about “hindsight”; had he not stuck his fingers in his ears and failed to ask the right questions, he’d have known exactly the kind of character he was employing.
Mr Cameron had five chances to act on specific information that would surely have led him to change his mind on Coulson:
• The Guardian told his Chief of Staff Ed Llewellyn Coulson had hired a convicted criminal at the News of the World;
• In May 2010, his deputy Nick Clegg warned him about Coulson;
• The News York Times investigation was enough for the Metropolitan Police to reopen enquiries, resulting in Neil Wallis – Coulson’s deputy at the NotW – being fired by the Met;
• John Yates offered to brief the prime minister via Mr Llewellyn; and
• In October, Mr Llewellyn was approached by the Guardian with serious evidence about Coulson.
Every single opportunity was missed.
Questions were also raised about whether Mr Cameron had discussed the BSkyB bid in any of his vast array of meetings with News International executives, while several of his loyal backbenchers, on message and on cue, tried to deflect attention from the scandal by claiming there were other, more important issues going on.
It is this issue, however, which hangs heaviest over Mr Cameron, and if the odds are to be believed, it’s this issue that’ll bury him.
28 Responses to “Yet again, Cameron fails to say sorry over Coulson”
Anon E Mouse
Leon Wolfson – More lies and smearing.
Remind me how voting for Gordon Brown as you did means you aren’t a Labour supporter. WTF??
You’re bonkers fella. Watch out for the monsters and vampires lurking in the bushes Wolfy!!!
Leon Wolfson
Hm…
Oh, that’d be because I didn’t vote for Gordon Brown.
And you think I give a flying for what a fascist calls me? You’re utterly past-centred, like all your ilk, longing for the “glory days” of white Britain which never existed, focused on the “ills” of New Labour. When I’m interested in the present and future – the economic attacks on the poor – and what your friends in the EDF and their like are doing NOW.
Anon E Mouse
Leon Wolfson – The only time in my life I didn’t vote Labour was at the last election after your New Labour gang forced Gordon Brown on us after promising they wouldn’t and I know nothing about the EDF.
Personally I’m with EON at home and British Gas at work if that helps.
Are you more hurt because I told you Santa Claws wasn’t real or because Jason Bourne has stopped taking your calls?
Watch out for the bogie man or the giant man eating octopus on the bus Wolfy and keep taking the pills please…
Dave Citizen
I think Ed M has found a way of showing Cameron up for what he is – the exchanges today had a calm and composed Ed steering the discussion while Cameron attempted to bash challengers over the head.
Cameron’s one liner put downs and ‘attack is the best form of defence’ style seemed to have come straight out of the school locker room – this may impress school boys but is no way to run a country!
Ed's Talking Balls
Unsurprisingly, I disagree, Dave.
Miliband was calmer than of late but he still hasn’t moved beyond the hectoring, point-scoring stuff of last week. Stones were still being thrown from his glass house.
Cameron was right to adopt the line of attack being the best form of defence. There’s only so long anyone can tolerate the hypocritical slurs from an opportunist like Miliband. It’s only fair to point out that Brown and Murdoch were thick as thieves.