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Sun editor says he would have published Cameron 'pig' serialisation Sun editor says he would have published Cameron 'pig' serialisation
(about 1 hour later)
The new editor of the Sun, Tony Gallagher, has said he would have published the serialisation of the unauthorised biography of David Cameron which appeared in the Mail this week.The new editor of the Sun, Tony Gallagher, has said he would have published the serialisation of the unauthorised biography of David Cameron which appeared in the Mail this week.
Speaking at an Exaro event on the presslate on Wednesday, Gallagher said the details from the book by Tory donor Michael Ashcroft and former Sunday Times politics editor Isabel Oakeshott – which included allegations he put a private part of his anatomy in a dead pig’s mouth – provided a valuable picture of the prime minister. Speaking at an Exaro event on the press late on Wednesday, Gallagher said the details from the book by Tory donor Michael Ashcroft and former Sunday Times politics editor Isabel Oakeshott – which included allegations he put a private part of his anatomy in a dead pig’s mouth – provided a valuable picture of the prime minister.
“It’s clearly a more rounded portrait of the prime minister than the small incident with the pig,” he said. “But I think even bearing in mind we’ve had three days serialisation, it reveals something very interesting about the nature of the prime minister, the circle he inhabits, the upbringing he had, the kind of behaviour he may or may not have engaged in when he was at university.“It’s clearly a more rounded portrait of the prime minister than the small incident with the pig,” he said. “But I think even bearing in mind we’ve had three days serialisation, it reveals something very interesting about the nature of the prime minister, the circle he inhabits, the upbringing he had, the kind of behaviour he may or may not have engaged in when he was at university.
“I can’t think why you wouldn’t want to publish it.”“I can’t think why you wouldn’t want to publish it.”
Gallagher was deputy editor of the Daily Mail before taking over as editor of the Sun last week. Prior to moving to the Mail, he edited the Daily Telegraph.Gallagher was deputy editor of the Daily Mail before taking over as editor of the Sun last week. Prior to moving to the Mail, he edited the Daily Telegraph.
Gallagher said he planned to spend more on investigations at the best-selling tabloid.Gallagher said he planned to spend more on investigations at the best-selling tabloid.
“It’s obvious to me that the area of newspaper investigations is wildly underused and needs to come front and centre to national newspapers in the modern age,” he said.“It’s obvious to me that the area of newspaper investigations is wildly underused and needs to come front and centre to national newspapers in the modern age,” he said.
“There is so much information out there now available to people, you need to find a new way to capture those readers … I will spend my time and resources building up investigative power.”“There is so much information out there now available to people, you need to find a new way to capture those readers … I will spend my time and resources building up investigative power.”
However, investigations could get harder, Gallagher said, because freedom of information legislation was “under assault as never before” from a government review.However, investigations could get harder, Gallagher said, because freedom of information legislation was “under assault as never before” from a government review.
The panel advising on the review includes former justice secretary Jack Straw, who is on record saying the legislation should be re-written, and current justice secretary Michael Gove, who has hinted that it could be made more difficult to access advice top ministers from civil servants.The panel advising on the review includes former justice secretary Jack Straw, who is on record saying the legislation should be re-written, and current justice secretary Michael Gove, who has hinted that it could be made more difficult to access advice top ministers from civil servants.
Related: Freedom of Information Act review 'may curb access to government papers'
However, Gallagher said it was civil servants who were the real driving force behind rolling back access to information.However, Gallagher said it was civil servants who were the real driving force behind rolling back access to information.
“The people who are really behind this, the people that hate this even more, are the civil service machine. It’s fair to say the far more guilty party is cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood,” he said.“The people who are really behind this, the people that hate this even more, are the civil service machine. It’s fair to say the far more guilty party is cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood,” he said.
“Bear in mind this is the self same man who for a very long time has resisted the idea that public documents should be handed to the Chilcot inquiry.”“Bear in mind this is the self same man who for a very long time has resisted the idea that public documents should be handed to the Chilcot inquiry.”
In response to a question about meetings between ministers and senior figures from the media, Gallagher revealed that he had dinner with the leader of the House of Lords, Chris Grayling, on Tuesday night, the first minister he has met since taking over the top job at the Sun. In response to a question about meetings between ministers and senior figures from the media, Gallagher revealed that he had dinner with the leader of the House of Commons, Chris Grayling, on Tuesday night, the first minister he has met since taking over the top job at the Sun.