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Trial of media, not by it

By danlodge on May 20, 2012 in

Below is the full CPS statement re the alleged obstruction of the phone (and computer) hacking investigations. It is pretty measured stuff, not posturing or grand-standing in the way suggested by La Rebekah. Granted, it’s a bit unusual for such a senior CPS barrister to speak to the cameras, and this must not be the start of a slippery slope to the US system where an ambitious DA really will posture and preen before and during a trial. That is not our way.

RE: Brooks and others

Charging announcement in relation to offences of perverting the course of justice against Rebekah Brooks and others

15/05/2012

Alison Levitt, QC, Principal Legal Advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions, oversees CPS decision making, and all potential prosecutions, in relation to the ongoing phone hacking investigations and other related matters.

Miss Levitt said: “This statement is made in the interests of transparency and accountability to explain the decisions reached in respect of allegations that Rebekah Brooks conspired with her husband, Charles Brooks, and others to pervert the course of justice.

“The Crown Prosecution Service received a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police Service on 27th March 2012 in relation to seven suspects:

  • Rebekah Brooks;
  • Charles Brooks;
  • Cheryl Carter – Mrs Brooks’ personal assistant;
  • Mark Hanna – Head of Security at News International;
  • Paul Edwards – Mrs Brooks’ chauffeur who was employed by News International;
  • Daryl Jorsling and a seventh suspect – both of whom provided security for Mrs Brooks supplied by News International.

“All the evidence has now carefully been considered.

“Applying the two-stage test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors I have concluded that in relation to all suspects except the seventh, there is sufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.

“I then considered the second stage of the test, and I have concluded that a prosecution is required in the public interest in relation to each of the other six.

“All seven suspects have this morning been informed of my decisions.

“They are all due to answer their bail at police stations later today. When they do so, they will be charged as follows:

  • CHARGE 1 - CONSPIRACY TO PERVERT THE COURSE OF JUSTICE

Rebekah Brooks between 6th July and 19th July 2011 conspired with Charles Brooks, Cheryl Carter, Mark Hanna, Paul Edwards, Daryl Jorsling and persons unknown to conceal material from officers of the Metropolitan Police Service.

  • CHARGE 2 – CONSPIRACY TO PERVERT THE COURSE OF JUSTICE

Rebekah Brooks and Cheryl Carter between 6th July and 9th July 2011 conspired together permanently to remove seven boxes of material from the archive of News International.

  • CHARGE 3 – CONSPIRACY TO PERVERT THE COURSE OF JUSTICE

Rebekah Brooks, Charles Brooks, Mark Hanna, Paul Edwards and Daryl Jorsling conspired together and with persons unknown, between 15th July and 19th July 2011,  to conceal documents, computers and other electronic equipment from officers of the Metropolitan Police Service.

“All these matters relate to the ongoing police investigation into allegations of phone hacking and corruption of public officials in relation to the News of the World and The Sun newspapers.

“Following charge, these individuals will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on a date to be determined.

“No further action will be taken against the seventh suspect.

“May I remind all concerned that these six individuals now will be charged with criminal offences and that each has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.”

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Hats off to IPL

By danlodge on May 14, 2012 in

IPL

Allright so the cheerleaders are a BIT naff, but the cricket is spectacular. Just watched a last over finish see MS Dhoni fall at the last hurdle for Chenna Super Kings. Very very exciting stuff. And it’s ITV4 carrying it. Gawd Bless free enterprise in sport and broadcasting? This blog is feeling a little off colour… 5 from 2 balls needed. Dot ball. Full toss, for six…. ha. CSK live to fight another day. This IS cricket.

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Putin in the shadow of the Tsars

By danlodge on May 7, 2012 in

Throne Room - Great Palace, Kremlin

So, after the tears and tear gas, Putin is sworn in as President of Russia (again). How fitting that he did so in the Throne Room of the Tsars. The obvious point: the hollowness of his hope for ‘greater democarcy’. An underlying worry, how is it that the ‘Great Palace’ at the heart of the Kremlin survived intact through decades of socialism, and for what purpose?

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Phil Davies to lead Blues

By danlodge on May 6, 2012 in

Welcome to Phil Davies as new Director of Rugby at Cardiff Blues. Let’s hope he can replicate the success he had at Leeds Tykes.

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Mild in May

By danlodge on May 6, 2012 in

CAMRA asks us to ‘adopt a mild in May’ and at p8 of What’s Brewing nudges us towards Brains Dark at ABV 3.5% ‘With powerful credentials founded on more than a century of Welsh brewing. Dark is a multi-award winning, treacle-coloured with a creamy contrasting head. A velvety smooth pint brewed with chocolate malts to provide a clean palate with hints of liqourice and freshly ground coffee.’

That’s not how they put it in the Old A, but we’ll give it a go.

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Cardiff turns to Labour – Dan Lodge

By danlodge on May 6, 2012 in

On Thursday 3rd May Labour made huge strides in Cardiff to regain control of the council after 8 years in opposition. First, the partisan stuff. Then some very local analysis.

TRIBAL THOUGHTS: waves of relief to have beaten the Lib Dems and seen-off Plaid, both of whom fought nasty personal campaigns.

ANALYSIS: the strategy of asking the electorate to ‘Send Nick Clegg a message’ was the right thing to do in motivating our own core vote. It worked to a degree. Also important was the council tax freeze guarantee, to neutralise the obvious Lib Dem whistles (dealt with below). We put forward a positive but realistic manifesto too.

FURTHER ANALYSIS: In terms of tactics, the Lib Dems got it all wrong. (Unreal) fear of Labour council tax increases on the one hand, and the undeniably prolific production of Focus newsletters should have been in the vanguard of their campaign.

This is pretty weak stuff but its all they had. Weak because the council tax bombshell line was old and based on misleading figures: there was a time when the Tories at Westminster ensured that council tax went up in Wales to catch up with higher rates in England. That cannot properly be laid at Cardiff Labour’s door.

And just relying on out-producing numbers of leaflets is weak because i) it annoys people to be littered with cheap riso-d material, ii) the content was rubbish (‘here is your local Lib Dem team supporting local business by buying a bag of chips’ I kid you not!) iii) the more you carelessly churn out the more you contradict yourself. But at least these two lines could have been stuck to. Instead the council tax bombshell was quietly abandoned (not appearing in the final personalised ‘handwritten’ letter).

In the final stages of the campaign the Lib Dem attacks were woeful. They couldn’t decide whether to present leading Labour figures as ‘Cardiff Labour Bosses’ (i.e. menacing and mafioso types, presumably?) or to ridicule in a patronising way the age and gender of Labour’s group leader. These were hopeless lines: as ridiculous as they were contradictory.

And what of Plaid? Picking candidates with local connections to make childish remarks about Labour candidates. Splitting the anti-coalition vote. Given that Plaid  seldom come clean about their separatist intent on the doorstep you are left wondering: what is the point of Plaid being also-rans again and again? The Plaid strategy seemed to be to spend no money on leaflets (all of which were extremely poor quality in terms of design / content / printing) and to blow it all on last minute ads in the Echo. Long may they adopt such tactics, they don’t work.

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Fib Dems sink to new depths

By danlodge on April 29, 2012 in

Emphatically this blog is not going to get snarled up in being declared as  election expenditure (roll on Thursday)- so the names have been omitted to protect the guilty. My local Fib Dem councillor has just put a leaflet through my door complaining of ‘Labour smears and lies’. In it he is apparently endorsed by a local lad, who gives his full name and whose address is clearly visible in the pic. The Fib Dem Cllr knows fine well that this lad does not live in the ward. Indeed, community sources say he has not lived here for years, and has moved more than 100 miles away, so that means they think that the photo has been doctored. So much for ‘local residents backing the Lib Dems’ and so much for Labour ‘lies’. Pretty shameful stuff from the yellow Tories.

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The strange soft launch of The Lodge Report #1 by Dan Lodge

By danlodge on April 27, 2012 in , , , , ,

Dan Lodge launches the Lodge Report

These are the first Bambi-like steps of Dan Lodge into the world of grown-up blogging on Labour politics in Wales and Westminster. Rugby and real ale will, as always, provide welcome respite. The thinking is this: it’s all very well tweeting (@DanLodge) but the format can be restrictive, fine for punchy invective (and banality) but not so good (obviously) for starting discussion. And Facebook has its charms and annoyances in equal measure. All those pesky ads, people asking me to help build a virtual farm or castle. So we’ll see where The Lodge Report goes.

This is a strange soft launch because, as I type, we are in the short campaign prior to Thurs 3rd May and this blog emphatically cannot seek to promote a particular Labour candidate or disparage a particular Lib Dem opponent in South Wales. That’s for the simple reason that political spending in this period is rightly capped and this blog’s modest over-heads are met personally by me, Dan Lodge, in an individual capacity. Whilst we speed through disclaimer-land on the Vespa of deniabilty, I also take this chance to say that, though it has been an honour in the past to have been (all too briefly) on the payroll of Welsh Labour, and an adviser to a Secretary of State for Wales, this blog will only ever contain my personal views. I do not have anyone else’s approval, sign-off, buy-in (this is beginning to read like an episode of the excellent 2012, straight out of ‘perfect curve’). So, sit back, relax and allow our staff of one to serve a lumpy soup, it’s GM free but may contain ill-informed gossip and bald assertion (though I’ll do my best to moderate the worst stinking fish- this metaphor has officially been stretched to breaking point).

Yours fraternally, Dan Lodge.

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Election time again

By danlodge on April 25, 2012 in

That’s right.. it’s time to decide on the Champion beer of Wales. Here are the CAMRA results for previous years. Dan Lodge is backing Brains’ Rev James, but not the stout. Oh  no….

Rhymney Brewery, Dowlais, carried off the gold and silver medals last time round in 2011. Must be time for Brains to feature. Who can fault their old lines ‘Pick our Brains’ and ‘It’s Brains you want.’ Genius.

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Cheryl Gillan talks down to Wales, again

By danlodge on April 25, 2012 in

The SoS for Wales is in need of a life-boat. Today’s classic (as reported by David Cornock at Welsh Questions ), her reference to Edwina Hart, a Minister of the Crown let us not forget, who works ‘down in Cardiff Bay.’ Shameful Cheryl, your choice of words betrays you. Still, there may be a job at Culture coming free soon ;-)

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