Let’s not speak about it… August 11, 2013
Posted by WorldbyStorm in British Politics.trackback
For those interested in such things there was reference on the most recent Slate political gabfest, towards the end IIRC, to a jaw dropping rumour in relation to – shall we say – media and politics and stuff in the UK. I hadn’t heard the chatter on t’internet on it over the last week or two (or a precursor story in the media which in it’s own way was equally jaw-dropping from some months back and which did make the UK press surrounded by numerous disclaimers as to its truth) because I was largely off line. Why has this not come to light in the UK proper? Libel laws one presumes, which accounts for my own caution.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
I spent an hour trying to figure out this rumour a few weeks ago without finding anything too solid. So much for the internet!
But have I got it right in thinking it involves a senior tory and a press person? If so, I wonder if it might be one of those stories that’s huge in the press and fascinating to politicos, but not nearly as big to the general public.
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Assuming it’s the same thing, are we on safe ground linking to a Robert Peston tweet about a jaw-dropping rumour:
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I think we’re okay on that. As long as we don’t repeat any allegations or rumours.
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Is this the one that’s been publicly denied by Tony Blair (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/tony-blair-denies-affair-rupert-1953684) or something else?
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I couldn’t possibly say…
…well actually you’re all in or around the ball park.
Bu what in retrospect amazes is me is how open Slate was. No coy stuff just bang, right out there. And I hadn’t heard a word previously, I’d even missed the TB ref.
I don’t care about the salacious stuff, but politically if this goes live, well…
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I find it all a bit unlikely. The woman in question had a full-time job. She’d never have managed it if she’d been sleeping with that many people. She’d have had to do all her work staring at the ceiling…
And then there’s the horse riding.
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Is that mumbling sound I hear that of very well paid lawyers slapping gagging orders on all an sundry?
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Ah here, giz a clue what the gossip is.
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Look up Michael Wolff and a very famous international media business figure. Very famous.
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Trying to find the yoke on Slate, i came across this, which amused me in imagining an Irish re-enactment:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/08/11/jens_stoltenberg_norway_s_prime_minister_works_as_taxi_driver_for_afternoon.html
Gilmore would promise to go one way, and not the other, more expensive way, and then do it anyway, and Enda would fulfill a taxi driver stereotype by telling racist jokes
On the story, it was all over Guido Fawkes a while ago, and everyone thought it would all blow up…….and then it didn’t.
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Sorry, should have been clearer, I don’t think there was an actual article on Slate, it was on their political podcast.
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I took the original story, as it ran in the press, to be that it was embarassing to the tories. The version alluded to above would hardly be that, would it?
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It could be that the speedily issued statement of denial is taken at face value by the UK media.
Nah, not the tabloids. A denial would be a story for them: “X denies [fraud | affair | arms deal]” is a great story for a tabloid. I reckon there must be a secret injunction in place if even they are not running with it.
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http://gawker.com/did-rebekah-brooks-fuck-rupert-murdoch-and-his-son-lach-926651851
Plenty of diff stuff floating about re Murdoch’s divorce and News Int. Coulsen and The Torys.
Should get even more interesting.
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Is there any danger that this stuff will be used to argue that the trials of Coulson and Brooks have been prejudiced and that they’ll, ultimately, get off? I’m thinking of the comments round the late 1990’s by Mary Harney and others (the SWP if I recall correctly) that we’re used to argue that Charles Haughey would not get a fair trial.
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I’d hazard a guess that there is enough evidence in the hacking probes to lead to a trial for Brooks etc.
I think Cameron is afraid of the sleazy factor and being dragged into the mire especially in the run up to a GE if it rumbles on.
Could be more damaging stuff on the way
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