14-01-2010, 02:22 AM
Jan Klimkowski Wrote:Alastair Campbell had the grand title of Director of Communications and Strategy under Blair. In reality, he was a spinmeister, a propagandist, and a more accurate job title would have been Director of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda - Volksaufklärung und Propaganda.This is a welcome turn of events. It can only be hoped that the Daily Mail is sued and that this can lead to more documents being freed and the end of this odious man's career. It really does seem that at least one faction has decided to hang Tony Bliar out to dry. I'm surprised it got this far. And he lost the EU presidency.:musicus:
In his early years, Joseph Goebbels penned "romantic" fiction. Campbell wrote pornography. Fundamentally though, both men were driven by the desire to control, to influence, to bend others to their will, and their evolution into state propagandists had a definite inevitability.
The Daily Mail's front page headline today was "Shameless, swaggering and STILL lying". Whilst I loathe the Daily Mail as much as anyone, the broader point is that newspapers are highly reluctant to call a person a liar in print.
Britain has the most onerous libel laws in the world, and newspapers lawyers would not have allowed such a charge to be printed if they had no evidence.
My own judgement is that the Mail decided to call Campbell a liar on their front page because they are daring him to sue. If Campbell sued, the case would go to a court of law where the Mail would have rights of discovery and so get to see many of the documents that the Chilcott Inquiry has now stated will remain classified (after earlier spinning that they would be declassified). In addition, cross-examination of Campbell would be far more rigorous, robust and relentless. He would not be allowed to get away with his spinmeister tricks and empty banalities.
I hope Campbell does sue. Because a court of law would do a far better job of interrogating him and getting to the truth of this matter than Chilcott's circus is doing.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.