This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/30/andy-coulson-charge-david-cameron
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Andy Coulson charge shows how David Cameron's past overshadows his future | Andy Coulson charge shows how David Cameron's past overshadows his future |
| (10 months later) | |
| David Cameron told MPs three months ago: "I'm responsible for the decisions I take, the people I employ, the government I run. The buck stops right here, and I take full responsibility for every single thing I do." | David Cameron told MPs three months ago: "I'm responsible for the decisions I take, the people I employ, the government I run. The buck stops right here, and I take full responsibility for every single thing I do." |
| It is one of those big remarks political leaders feel forced to make that can mean everything and nothing. | It is one of those big remarks political leaders feel forced to make that can mean everything and nothing. |
| So now that his former director of communications Andy Coulson has been charged by police investigating alleged perjury during the trial of Tommy Sheridan – which took place while Coulson was a government employee in No 10 – the prime minister's judgment comes under closer scrutiny. | So now that his former director of communications Andy Coulson has been charged by police investigating alleged perjury during the trial of Tommy Sheridan – which took place while Coulson was a government employee in No 10 – the prime minister's judgment comes under closer scrutiny. |
| No 10 is angry that the media play a game of guilt by association – for instance throwing up graphics with spiders' webs in which either David Cameron or James Murdoch is put at the centre of a web of intrigue. Indeed, last week's contretemps between Craig Oliver, the current No 10 communications director, and a BBC correspondent, Norman Smith, was as much about one such graphic accompanying Smith's report. | No 10 is angry that the media play a game of guilt by association – for instance throwing up graphics with spiders' webs in which either David Cameron or James Murdoch is put at the centre of a web of intrigue. Indeed, last week's contretemps between Craig Oliver, the current No 10 communications director, and a BBC correspondent, Norman Smith, was as much about one such graphic accompanying Smith's report. |
| Yet No 10 now has to confront the unfortunate fact that one of Cameron's old school buddies, Charlie Brooks, his closest media ally, Rebekah Brooks, and now his communications director of four years, Coulson, have all been charged or questioned over perjury or conspiring to pervert the course of justice. By any account that is a run of bad luck. | Yet No 10 now has to confront the unfortunate fact that one of Cameron's old school buddies, Charlie Brooks, his closest media ally, Rebekah Brooks, and now his communications director of four years, Coulson, have all been charged or questioned over perjury or conspiring to pervert the course of justice. By any account that is a run of bad luck. |
| Cameron has many legitimate defences. He is not responsible for how a small group of newspapers behaved in the middle of the last decade. He employed Coulson on the advice of George Osborne on the basis of assurances that the phone hacking that had occurred at the News of the World (NoW) during his editorship was isolated and unknown to him. | Cameron has many legitimate defences. He is not responsible for how a small group of newspapers behaved in the middle of the last decade. He employed Coulson on the advice of George Osborne on the basis of assurances that the phone hacking that had occurred at the News of the World (NoW) during his editorship was isolated and unknown to him. |
| He believed in giving Coulson, a talented figure with an understanding of the modern media, a "second chance" after he had taken the hit for hacking by resigning as a matter of honour. And all those charged may be proved innocent. | He believed in giving Coulson, a talented figure with an understanding of the modern media, a "second chance" after he had taken the hit for hacking by resigning as a matter of honour. And all those charged may be proved innocent. |
| Cameron took him into Downing Street after the May 2010 general election after seeing him perform professionally as his spokesman in opposition for three years. | Cameron took him into Downing Street after the May 2010 general election after seeing him perform professionally as his spokesman in opposition for three years. |
| The police twice looked at the allegations made by the Guardian and New York Times, and twice said they could find no evidence of widespread malpractice – most recently in September 2010 when the Metropolitan police looked at a New York Times report that a former NoW editor reporter, Sean Hoare, had admitted being asked to hack phones by Coulson. | The police twice looked at the allegations made by the Guardian and New York Times, and twice said they could find no evidence of widespread malpractice – most recently in September 2010 when the Metropolitan police looked at a New York Times report that a former NoW editor reporter, Sean Hoare, had admitted being asked to hack phones by Coulson. |
| If indeed there was an implicit or explicit grand bargain between Cameron and News International over the takeover of BSkyB, in return for Murdoch's support, it was illogical to the point of perverse for Cameron to appoint Vince Cable to the post of business secretary. A stickler like Cable was never going to roll over for James Murdoch. | If indeed there was an implicit or explicit grand bargain between Cameron and News International over the takeover of BSkyB, in return for Murdoch's support, it was illogical to the point of perverse for Cameron to appoint Vince Cable to the post of business secretary. A stickler like Cable was never going to roll over for James Murdoch. |
| Finally Cameron had known nothing of the Telegraph sting operation that, by chance, revealed Cable's animus to News International, so requiring media policy to be taken from him, and given to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Throughout Hunt followed the advice of the competition authorities. | Finally Cameron had known nothing of the Telegraph sting operation that, by chance, revealed Cable's animus to News International, so requiring media policy to be taken from him, and given to the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt. Throughout Hunt followed the advice of the competition authorities. |
| That is the defence, and little of it is individually untrue. But what it obscures is whether the Conservatives' close personal connections with the Murdoch empire, the desire to have its political support and distaste for Murdoch's liberal accusers, led Cameron and his allies to close their eyes to the growing evidence that there was something rotten in the newspaper group. Here the timeline is important. | That is the defence, and little of it is individually untrue. But what it obscures is whether the Conservatives' close personal connections with the Murdoch empire, the desire to have its political support and distaste for Murdoch's liberal accusers, led Cameron and his allies to close their eyes to the growing evidence that there was something rotten in the newspaper group. Here the timeline is important. |
| After all, in February 2010 the culture select committee said it was "inconceivable" that no one apart from Clive Goodman was aware of phone hacking at NoW. | After all, in February 2010 the culture select committee said it was "inconceivable" that no one apart from Clive Goodman was aware of phone hacking at NoW. |
| The next month, as the election neared, the publicist Max Clifford is paid £1m to drop a legal action that could have revealed more NoW reporters hacked phones. In September 2010, the New York Times reports further details of events at the NoW. Yet during these moments, no one thinks to press the reset button in the relationship between the Conservatives and News International. | The next month, as the election neared, the publicist Max Clifford is paid £1m to drop a legal action that could have revealed more NoW reporters hacked phones. In September 2010, the New York Times reports further details of events at the NoW. Yet during these moments, no one thinks to press the reset button in the relationship between the Conservatives and News International. |
| The personal and political loyalties are too deep. The education secretary, Michael Gove, a former Murdoch employee, for instance did not declare the New York Times reports were disturbing. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show they were probably the product of a circulation war and party politics. | The personal and political loyalties are too deep. The education secretary, Michael Gove, a former Murdoch employee, for instance did not declare the New York Times reports were disturbing. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show they were probably the product of a circulation war and party politics. |
| Again the evidence mounted up that the rogue reporter defence had collapsed when it was announced that Ian Edmondson, NoW assistant editor, news, on 5 January 2011 had been suspended. | Again the evidence mounted up that the rogue reporter defence had collapsed when it was announced that Ian Edmondson, NoW assistant editor, news, on 5 January 2011 had been suspended. |
| Yet even when Coulson resigned in January 2011, a month after giving evidence to the Scottish courts in the Sheridan case, Cameron staunchly defended Coulson, saying: "I have always felt like he has been punished twice for the same offence. This is all about the past and that seems to go on and on." | Yet even when Coulson resigned in January 2011, a month after giving evidence to the Scottish courts in the Sheridan case, Cameron staunchly defended Coulson, saying: "I have always felt like he has been punished twice for the same offence. This is all about the past and that seems to go on and on." |
| The question arises whether Cameron ever held that eyeball to eyeball confrontation with Coulson over the stream of allegations, or instead looked at the source of those allegations and rejected them. | The question arises whether Cameron ever held that eyeball to eyeball confrontation with Coulson over the stream of allegations, or instead looked at the source of those allegations and rejected them. |
| Similarly senior civil servants need to ask themselves whether they pressed their political masters to inquire more deeply. The true culprit, the civil service insists, is the police, for repeatedly clearing News International. | Similarly senior civil servants need to ask themselves whether they pressed their political masters to inquire more deeply. The true culprit, the civil service insists, is the police, for repeatedly clearing News International. |
| Either way, emails, texts and contacts revealed at the Leveson inquiry demonstrate that as late as the summer of 2011, the Conservatives still did not did see the need to recalibrate the relationship. Even as the Milly Dowler story broke, its staff remained in intimate contact, meeting for discreet dinners and repeatedly referring to themselves as one unit. At one point Fred Michel, the News International lobbyist, even suggests to Adam Smith, special adviser to Jeremy Hunt that he can provide names for people to sit on the Leveson inquiry. | Either way, emails, texts and contacts revealed at the Leveson inquiry demonstrate that as late as the summer of 2011, the Conservatives still did not did see the need to recalibrate the relationship. Even as the Milly Dowler story broke, its staff remained in intimate contact, meeting for discreet dinners and repeatedly referring to themselves as one unit. At one point Fred Michel, the News International lobbyist, even suggests to Adam Smith, special adviser to Jeremy Hunt that he can provide names for people to sit on the Leveson inquiry. |
| Giving evidence to Leveson, Hunt will have to explain that relationship between his special adviser and Michel. He will have to explain he was unaware of the scale of the contacts, or their inappropriate content, and indeed why he did not immediately sack him when they were disclosed to Leveson. | Giving evidence to Leveson, Hunt will have to explain that relationship between his special adviser and Michel. He will have to explain he was unaware of the scale of the contacts, or their inappropriate content, and indeed why he did not immediately sack him when they were disclosed to Leveson. |
| Hunt's permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, has said he did not know of the scale or content. Leveson has already given the clear impression he is unhappy that Smith was not given clearer guidance on how to behave towards News International in a quasi-judicial decision. That responsibility lies with Hunt, both morally and under the ministerial code. | Hunt's permanent secretary, Jonathan Stephens, has said he did not know of the scale or content. Leveson has already given the clear impression he is unhappy that Smith was not given clearer guidance on how to behave towards News International in a quasi-judicial decision. That responsibility lies with Hunt, both morally and under the ministerial code. |
| The stubborn refusal of Cable and his special adviser Giles Wilkes to succumb to Michel's siege of texts, is in striking contrast to the culture department's willingness to hand over one sided information to News International at will. Cameron also now faces a problem over the memorandum sent to him by Hunt as culture secretary in November 2010 urging him to intervene to rein in Cable over the BSkyB bid. Hunt will have to explain how Cameron responded and why the cabinet secretary, Lord O'Donnell, was not informed. | The stubborn refusal of Cable and his special adviser Giles Wilkes to succumb to Michel's siege of texts, is in striking contrast to the culture department's willingness to hand over one sided information to News International at will. Cameron also now faces a problem over the memorandum sent to him by Hunt as culture secretary in November 2010 urging him to intervene to rein in Cable over the BSkyB bid. Hunt will have to explain how Cameron responded and why the cabinet secretary, Lord O'Donnell, was not informed. |
| Each day Cameron must feel the past just keeps going on and on, trying to haunt him. | Each day Cameron must feel the past just keeps going on and on, trying to haunt him. |
| Cameron on Coulson | Cameron on Coulson |
| When Andy Coulson resigned as Downing Street's spin doctor, David Cameron hosted a "quiet goodbye" party to demonstrate his continuing support for the man he described as a personal friend. | When Andy Coulson resigned as Downing Street's spin doctor, David Cameron hosted a "quiet goodbye" party to demonstrate his continuing support for the man he described as a personal friend. |
| 9 July 2009 (the day the Guardian reveals News of the World paid out £m to gag phone hacking victims) | 9 July 2009 (the day the Guardian reveals News of the World paid out £m to gag phone hacking victims) |
| "Of course, it is wrong for newspapers to breach people's privacy without justification. I mean that is why, after all, Andy Coulson resigned from the News of the World two and a half years ago. Of course I knew about that resignation when I gave him a job. But I believe in giving people a second chance." | "Of course, it is wrong for newspapers to breach people's privacy without justification. I mean that is why, after all, Andy Coulson resigned from the News of the World two and a half years ago. Of course I knew about that resignation when I gave him a job. But I believe in giving people a second chance." |
| 5 October 2010 (a month after News of the World whistleblower Sean Hoare claimed Coulson knew about hacking) | 5 October 2010 (a month after News of the World whistleblower Sean Hoare claimed Coulson knew about hacking) |
| "No one is unsackable but the point I make is I have not had one single complaint about how he has done his job." | "No one is unsackable but the point I make is I have not had one single complaint about how he has done his job." |
| 21 January 2011 (the day Coulson resigns from Number 10) | 21 January 2011 (the day Coulson resigns from Number 10) |
| "I always felt he's been punished for the same offence twice, but I understand his decision [to resign] and wish him well for the future." | "I always felt he's been punished for the same offence twice, but I understand his decision [to resign] and wish him well for the future." |
| 8 July 2011 (the day Andy Coulson is arrested over phone hacking allegations) | 8 July 2011 (the day Andy Coulson is arrested over phone hacking allegations) |
| "I made a decision to employ Andy Coulson … he said at the time he didn't know what was happening on his watch, he should have known what was happening on his watch. He paid the price, he resigned. I took the decision to give him a second chance ... but the second chance didn't work." | "I made a decision to employ Andy Coulson … he said at the time he didn't know what was happening on his watch, he should have known what was happening on his watch. He paid the price, he resigned. I took the decision to give him a second chance ... but the second chance didn't work." |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |