Following on from Twenty days of Crisis for Cameron covering the background to this, and various diaries covering the efects in this list things have carried on moving on at pace (and when I say at pace, I mean barrelling downhill like an out of control express train)
Yesterday we had Piers Morgan suddenly exposed to the harsh light of day. Jeremy Paxman, Who is probably the premier political interviewer in the UK was called to give evidence. His evidence finished with an an anecdote about how he'd been invited to a meal and had been shown how to hack phones by Piers Morgan, something that Morgan had denied knowing about. There is a report that Piers is being recalled to the Inquiry to explain himself, although there are no dates to this as yet.
For the last two days we have also had the added Jolity of Tory MP's saying that the Inquiry has already found out everything it needs to and it should be shut down before it goes any further.
Twitter / LouiseMensch: The important #Leveson hea
The important#Leveson hearings on Jeremy Hunt, Adam Smith to come. After that surely we have about got the measure of this by now.
This only raised suspicion that there was more to come
Today we got the Evidence of Michel and Smith. Here's Brit's article in the Daily beast
The Leveson Inquiry Brings to Light More Ties Between Murdoch and Cameron Vert Dek: More damaging information emerges on the cozy relationship between Murdoch News Corp. and Cameron’s government, Peter Jukes reports. - The Daily Beast
Had the judge of the BSkyB bid already made up his mind?
Thehacking scandal that has already led to 50 arrests, the resignation of senior police officers, and News Corp. executives is now threatening the survival of a British government minister and posing more awkward questions for Prime Minister David Cameron about his cosy relationship with the Murdoch empire.
A month ago, in hiswritten evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, Rupert Murdoch revealed over 160 pages of emails from News Corp.’s senior lobbyist,Frederic Michel, to Adam Smith, special adviser to Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt, who was supposed to be acting in an impartial “quasi-judicial” role while overseeing News Corp.’s $16 billion for the remaining 61 percent share in the British satellite broadcaster BSkyB last year. Smith resigned as a result of the “inappropriate” contact with Michel, temporarily drawing the heat from his boss. Today both Michel and Smith were quizzed under oath by counsel to the Leveson Inquiry, Robert Jay.
Michels evidence wet on far longer than was intended. In his original witness statement Michel had claimed that his emails were misleading and were misrepresenting his connections to Jeremy Hunt, the minister. However under examination by Mr Jay the governments defence that he was a fantasist slowly crumbled. Whenever a significant message or email was introduced and gone over, it turned out that in this case, Mr Michel was being accurate, and the further down the line we got, the less credible the ministers defence.
After that we have Adam Smith, jeremy hunts special advisor (a post you will hear refered to in discussions as a SPAD) SPADs are party members, frequently getting experience of the system and working their way towards elected roles. they are paid as civil servants (The non-party employees of governement departments who are bound to give impartial advice) SPADs are inherrantly political, and have access to departmental paperwork, as they are the ministers assistants, but the downside of having a SPAD, is that under ministerial rules, the minister is responsible for everything they do. If the SPAd screws up majorly, it's the Ministers fault, as he should be watching.
The theory has been that Adam Smith is the designated man to be left holding the can when things all go wrong, he's young and doesn't have a major power base within the party. everyone who can point a finger in the last few weeks from within the party has been punting things in his direction. It all appeared to be a foregone conclusion. however for this to work he hqas to be a willing victim. Now this is fairly likely. Young political party members do seem to be aflicted by some form of Stockholm Syndrome in situations like this. If you're that tied in to the party to get this sort of job, you'll find that pretty much all of your friends are party members and you have a choice of options, let everything out, and find all your social circle suddenly hates you for betraying the party, or stcik to the socially acceptable story, have them flee, but have a chance of them all coming back later when you've heroically performed your pennance. So the idea is that he will go down with the ship, and all blame can then be attatched to him.
Unfortunately Lord leveson and Mr jay don't appear to have read this script. Lord Justice Leveson has responded to some of Smiths evidence with disbelief, although disbelief couched in an extremely polite turn of phrase
http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/...
Just before we pass from these two documents. Mr Smith, forgive me. What has this got to do with you? I mean, I'm just intrigued to know why you should be involved in this material. This was being dealt with by another department. I can't believe you didn't have more than enough to do. So what has this to do with you?
Mr Jay meanwhile has been gradually maneuvering the questioning around the point like a verbal matador.
This afternoons major piece of evidence that he produced was an email from jeremy Hunts boss to David Cameron, the prime minister. Smith in moving to block any attacks on Hunt, his superior is gradually exposing Cameron to more and more trouble. The email details Hunts opinions on why the BskyB deal should go ahead, Unfortunately for cameron it's dated from before Vince cable, hunts predecessor got into trouble for opposing the deal. As Cable was sacked for being biassed in one direction, appointing a replacement minister who you knew to be biassed in the opposite direction does not appear to be the most open and honest activity taken by a prime minister.
Hunt may also be in trouble for misleading parliament.
David Allen Green has blogged details of Hunts problems
Hunt is almost over | Jack of Kent
It was as plain as a pikestaff that something very wrong had happened when – a month ago – both the extent and nature of the contacts between Jeremy Hunt’s office and News International were first revealed.
The concerns raised were serious, and it was important that the Culture secretary took them seriously.
But he did not.
Hunt instead went to the Commons and did atub-thumping and defiant defence of his conduct, whilst shafting his special adviser.
Leading to the conclusion that there are very big problems waiting out there for various members of the UK government. Smith continues to give evidence in the morning, followed by the departments senior civil servant., so More of this to come tomorrow night.