Blair 'advised Brooks before arrest'!

[Doc Lynam]

Hacking trial hears former UK PM Tony Blair 'advised Rebekah Brooks on handling scandal 6 days before her arrest'

Tony Blair gave advice to newspaper executive Rebekah Brooks about how to handle the developing phone-hacking scandal six days before her arrest, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey heard Mrs Brooks, who denies wrongdoing, passed the former prime minister's advice to James Murdoch, the then executive chairman of News International.


What was he thinking?

 

[Acker79]

https://twitter.com/BBCPeterHunt/status/436118114632486912/photo/1/large

 

[Flex Your Head]

He's a Tory trying to protect other Tories. He was always dazzled and impressed by big business, business leaders and those 'at the top', so probably just trying to ingratiate himself further. The smug little prat.

 

[Martlet]

As I read it he's giving her advice on the assumption she's innocent ("when the police close inquiry and clear you"). Easy to think the worst of him, but he's a criminal barrister as well as a pretty decent politician.

Easy to pass judgement now - not as if all politicians haven't got close to the media...

 

[n1 gull]

This could be really big news. Hutton is getting dragged in now. It all comes back to that f@cking illegal war Murdoch, Bush and Blair were so keen on. All in it together like pigs in a trough, twats

 

[Buzzer]

As I read it he's giving her advice on the assumption she's innocent ("when the police close inquiry and clear you"). Easy to think the worst of him, but he's a criminal barrister as well as a pretty decent politician.

Easy to pass judgement now - not as if all politicians haven't got close to the media...

Not true. He was a lawyer specialising in employment and industrial law - and more often than not defending businesses from law suits brought by aggrieved (ex)employees. He wasn't particularly good at it and he didn't stick it for long either. Nethermere v Gardiner sticks out as one infamous case where he defended a factory against paying women holiday pay . He lost that one.

Decent politician? That's a moot point especially if you regard his actions as criminal in taking us into an illegal war (I think precisely that).

He's a Tory trying to protect other Tories.

Worse than that, he hasn't got a political conviction in his body. I genuinely believe that he picked the party most likely to help him achieve his ambition of high political office. Nick Clegg was the same. Adviser to Leon Brittan in the EU and was advised by Sir Leon that if he wanted to get on in politics he'd be better off picking the Liberal Democrats. These are the very worst types of politicians in my eyes. Worse than idealogues such as Thatcher even.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He's a Tory trying to protect other Tories. He was always dazzled and impressed by big business, business leaders and those 'at the top', so probably just trying to ingratiate himself further. The smug little prat.

Only he's Labour.

 

[n1 gull]

Only he's Labour.

Yeh, of course he is

 

[Chicken Run]

Phone Hacking Scandal Blair

I new he would be involved somehow, dirty nasty piece of work!!!!


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26259956

 

[bravohotelalpha]

I new he would be involved somehow, dirty nasty piece of work!!!!


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26259956

And his mantra was ' education education education' (sp)

 

[Guinness Boy]

Worse than that, he hasn't got a political conviction in his body. I genuinely believe that he picked the party most likely to help him achieve his ambition of high political office. Nick Clegg was the same. Adviser to Leon Brittan in the EU and was advised by Sir Leon that if he wanted to get on in politics he'd be better off picking the Liberal Democrats. These are the very worst types of politicians in my eyes. Worse than idealogues such as Thatcher even.

This is what turned me off Labour. There are still far too many career politicians in there too and you're right, the same is mostly true of the Lib Dems. In fact, when you think of politicians who aren't you come up with a fairly rum bunch.

Both Nigel Farage and Caroline Lucas are hard working, hard thinking, committed politicians who walk what they talk. Both are unfortunate in that they lead parties full of lunatic fringe, unelectable weirdos. Then there's Gove who I can't stand but he's as unashamedly Tory as Thatcher's Grocer's Shop. George Galloway is another like Gove who lives to hear his own name spoken, but again has the courage of his convictions. And Tony Benn, the socialist aristo has never never deviated from his views. I actually admire him, he's saying he wants to be disenfranchised. You could round up literally every other MP and, as Kenny Everett used to say, put them in a field and bomb the *******s and I wouldn't miss a single one. If you chucked Blair and Brooks in the field as well, so much the better.

 

[Buzzer]

This is what turned me off Labour. There are still far too many career politicians in there too and you're right, the same is mostly true of the Lib Dems. In fact, when you think of politicians who aren't you come up with a fairly rum bunch.

Both Nigel Farage and Caroline Lucas are hard working, hard thinking, committed politicians who walk what they talk. Both are unfortunate in that they lead parties full of lunatic fringe, unelectable weirdos. Then there's Gove who I can't stand but he's as unashamedly Tory as Thatcher's Grocer's Shop. George Galloway is another like Gove who lives to hear his own name spoken, but again has the courage of his convictions. And Tony Benn, the socialist aristo has never never deviated from his views. I actually admire him, he's saying he wants to be disenfranchised. You could round up literally every other MP and, as Kenny Everett used to say, put them in a field and bomb the *******s and I wouldn't miss a single one. If you chucked Blair and Brooks in the field as well, so much the better.

Amen to all that.

 

[Flex Your Head]

Only he's Labour.

Nope, he's a career politician who chose the party which offered him the best chance of getting up the greasy pole. Blair and socialism go together like a horse and marriage.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Her email read: "I had an hour on the phone to Tony Blair.

"He said:

"1. Form an independent unit that has an outside junior counsel, Ken Macdonald [former director of public prosecutions], a great and good type, a serious forensic criminal barrister, internal counsel, proper fact checkers etc in it. Get them to investigate me and others and publish a Hutton-style report.

"2. Publish part one of the report at same time as the police closes its inquiry and clear you and accept shortcomings and new solutions and process and part two when any trials are over.

"3. Keep strong and definitely sleeping pills. Need to have clear heads and remember no rash short-term solutions as they only give you long-term headaches.

"4. It will pass. Tough up.

"5. He is available for you, KRM [Rupert Murdoch] and me as an unofficial adviser but needs to be between us. He is sending more notes later."

 

[Hotchilidog]

Only he's Labour.

And I thought satire was dead....

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Not true. He was a lawyer specialising in employment and industrial law - and more often than not defending businesses from law suits brought by aggrieved (ex)employees. He wasn't particularly good at it and he didn't stick it for long either. Nethermere v Gardiner sticks out as one infamous case where he defended a factory against paying women holiday pay . He lost that one.

Decent politician? That's a moot point especially if you regard his actions as criminal in taking us into an illegal war (I think precisely that).



Worse than that, he hasn't got a political conviction in his body. I genuinely believe that he picked the party most likely to help him achieve his ambition of high political office. Nick Clegg was the same. Adviser to Leon Brittan in the EU and was advised by Sir Leon that if he wanted to get on in politics he'd be better off picking the Liberal Democrats. These are the very worst types of politicians in my eyes. Worse than idealogues such as Thatcher even.

Decent politicain; moot point? I would suggest not.

Politics these days isnt about politics. Blair won 3 elections (count them) by big majorities. So did Maggie. That must make him a decent politician surely by todays standards?

 

[Hotchilidog]

Decent politicain; moot point? I would suggest not.

Politics these days isnt about politics. Blair won 3 elections (count them) by big majorities. So did Maggie. That must make him a decent politician surely by todays standards?

Once again....I thought satire was dead...evidently not

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Nope, he's a career politician who chose the party which offered him the best chance of getting up the greasy pole. Blair and socialism go together like a horse and marriage.

Maybe, that aside, Brooks clearly knew how to make friends, Blair and Cameron

 

[Buzzer]

Decent politicain; moot point? I would suggest not.

Politics these days isnt about politics. Blair won 3 elections (count them) by big majorities. So did Maggie. That must make him a decent politician surely by todays standards?

Fair point. I read it as decent meaning morally decent. Then again if he were that he wouldn't be cosying up with Murdoch and his minions.

 

[piersa]

Not true. He was a lawyer specialising in employment and industrial law - and more often than not defending businesses from law suits brought by aggrieved (ex)employees. He wasn't particularly good at it and he didn't stick it for long either. Nethermere v Gardiner sticks out as one infamous case where he defended a factory against paying women holiday pay . He lost that one.

Decent politician? That's a moot point especially if you regard his actions as criminal in taking us into an illegal war (I think precisely that).



Worse than that, he hasn't got a political conviction in his body. I genuinely believe that he picked the party most likely to help him achieve his ambition of high political office. Nick Clegg was the same. Adviser to Leon Brittan in the EU and was advised by Sir Leon that if he wanted to get on in politics he'd be better off picking the Liberal Democrats. These are the very worst types of politicians in my eyes. Worse than idealogues such as Thatcher even.

That is about as "on the noggin" as it gets.