Missing Milly Dowler's voicemail "hacked by News of the World"

Finally someone asks Cameron why the SPAD was used to be in contact with NI.

I used to like Skinner's one liners, but he's got like a comic who has lost his timing. Might have been better to do something serious about masses of people facing redundancy and food parcels while he dines with the Chipping Norton set and chats with Murdoch about approving his takeover.

Wonder what happens to SPADs when the shit hits the fan - this one, that Werrity bloke who used to dress like his boss and the rest? Is there is a SPADs holding area where they shelter till the storm abates (well, mild breeze when it's being dished out by Miliband)? Perhaps there's a departmental Tardis that transports them to the future where they can graze on their on their new defence and media contracts.

They've been briefing against him since before he became Speaker, because he dared take some of his wife's (frankly champagne socialist) views on board, and because he said he wanted a return to a neutral speakership, after the farrago of Speaker Martin.

He's a fuckload more neutral than Martin was, tbf.

Prediction: at least one of them ends up working for Burson-Marsteller

Suppose you have to be an elite level SPAD to be entrusted with negotiating the future of UK TV ownership with Rupert Murdoch. Worthy of great respect in the SPAD community, the kind of thing any young SPAD dreams of from the age of 5.

God bless the SPADs, without whom corruption would run just that bit less smoothly.

Isn't it about time this thread was renamed?

No, leave it be. It is part of the furniture now.

Yep, keeping that title is a useful reminder of what Murdoch's shabby little band actually did.

Yup. The enquiry seems a bit spineless if you focus on the corruption that has always been there not the people affected.

Despicable as the Milly Dowler phone hack clearly was, the effect of the Murdoch virus was such as to bring the whole of what we accept as democratic civilization into danger of annihilation. That, I submit, should be reflected in the title of this fascinating thread.

Report declares Murdoch as not fit and proper to hold a broadcast license. 6 - 4 split on the committee, the Tories voted against it. Going to the commons for a vote. Means if Cameron whips against approval, he's supporting Murdoch. Watson's having more fun.

He didn't want that i think - certainly didn't want the tories on the committee calling his report 'partisan' and 'improper'.

Lib Dem voted for it, if that extends out into HoC - it'll be Tories supporting sleaze etc. Political theatre.

Now this will be difficult for Cameron - certainly more difficult than responding to Miliband (unless he discovers a procedural route to avoid the issue being put in the commons in the same terms it was voted on in the committee).

Mensch now sticking up for newsint on the news.

She really isn't.

Of course she is! She said Murdoch is one of the greatest newspaper people ever and the report was made across party lines.

That isn't what I heard.

so the tories on the committee agree that the accused wrongdoing that lead to the investigation happened, and also agree that NI went out of its way to cover it up and even lie to them, but carry on Rupert

To me that reads like the Murdochs have still got plenty of shit about the Tories waiting to be revealed, and the Conservative representation on the committee got told what they could and could not agree on. Discrediting the report along party lines seems like an ideal outcome for the Murdochs.

Very informative post.

1.37pm Ed Miliband has given his reaction to BBC news:

I take extremely seriously what the committee is saying. It was a thorough investigation and a considered verdict. I think now what needs to happen is the regulator Ofcom needs to come to its own conclusions.

Reading between the lines on that and other reactions, perhaps the fit and proper comment was too barbed, should have just called for Ofcom to reassess. Ofcom being the body that decides such stuff

A tiny bit more onto Cameron's shoulders though, another stress reaction for his heart to take. Brown losing the election's going to look like a masterstroke if this keeps up.

Carry on Tories.

The 'fit and proper' question has been floating around since before the BSkyB bid was withdrawn. There always was the potential for it to spill over into the rest of News Int's operations. I think it's good that the committee have come out and said it. Much easier for Ofcom to say it now that it's been said, iyswim.

Unless they don't, then partisan politics hits Labour and denigrates the name of Govt. committees - which will adversely affect their image over the Hulture Secretary.

It seems a nice report, etc, etc, esp. given their partial knowledge and scope. Given the Murdoch's strategy has always been to concede lack of oversight (failure of corp gov) in favour of admitting knowledge (potential criminal liability), not sure why the media reaction is quite so dramatic.

This is still the same group of people cowered since at least 2003 by Murdoch, and it's still the Committee that failed to act when Rebekah Brooks admitted a criminal offence in front of them in 2003.

I can't think of another Parliamentary Committee that's been quite so staffed by self-important drama queens.

It'll be more interesting to consider what's beyond the headlines of this report, partic on the relationship between press, police, CPS and politicians.

/Back to Leveson

I find it hard to believe that anyone without a vested interest could find it remotely partisan, though.

Watch flashman lay the blame at Watsons feet in future.