Has Your MP Been Paid by News International?
Jonathan Sheppard reckons there's a stench of hypocrisy from MPs over News Internional. Follow the money, he says...
8 Jul 2011, 00:01
What people won't tolerate is any hypocrisy from our MPs who may openly criticise News International, but may well have been happy enough to take their money. And for those of you who want to see which of our elected representatives have received payment from News International. Well have a look HERE.
Comments (8)
Subscribe to this posts's comments feed
Vince Cable , David Davis , Jack Straw and Cameron really kinda stick out.
08/07/2011 18:46This is OTT and implies that no MP should send copy to any publication owned by someone of whom the MP disapproves. The criterion should be whether the MP's view might best reach a readership he or she is trying to inform.
10/07/2011 08:00Duyfken... So there would be no hypocrisy in stating Murdoch is unfit to own certain media outlets, but being prepared to take money from one of his outlets?
I agree MPs should be able to send copy to whatever publication they see fit. Many do it for free too btw!
10/07/2011 10:45JS .. Thanks for your response.
It is only in the last few days that there have been public questions of fitness, despite many in the trade probably being critical for some years. I have no brief to support Murdoch and have never been impressed by his business methods no matter how successful the results, even from his earliest days in Oz. But unless and until it is shown that the Murdoch organisation is truly unfit, as OfCom may now need to decide, I reckon your high moral tone is unwarranted. Hypocrisy? Not so.
10/07/2011 16:16Pointing out hypocrisy is not me moralising about a subject. Some MPs have used the NOTW scandal to say Murdoch is somehow unfit. I would actually disagree with this. Whether or not that is true is not my call. I would however say that if someone regards an organisation and that person as unfit - yet is happy to be paid by that organisation - then maybe they are a little hypocritical.
To understand Murdoch I'd advise anyone to watch this snippet with the late Kerry Packer - his contemporary.... who says many thinks I happen to agree with.
http://roused.app.standingcloud.com/toryradio/2011/07/07/want-to-understand-murdoch/
10/07/2011 19:45JS... Thanks for your added comment. I think really we agree on the principle so I'll let it go.
But further, I did enjoy Packer's clip and the way he put those Oz lefty control-freaks in their place, especially that po-faced beardie. It's a shame Packer is not still about so that he could rubbish Juliar and pour scorn on her carbon tax.
10/07/2011 21:56Packer expressed interesting views on limiting your tax liability similar to the arguments about tax avoidance here. I have an ISA to avoid tax as I think I spend my own money better than any government can.
10/07/2011 23:06I don't have a problem with an MP writing for a newspaper (mine did not and appears to have no other declared interests).
18/07/2011 15:49