by People's Republic of Kent
Monday, July 11 2011
The vultures are circling; the press is the enemy within. I will not regurgitate the allegations about the News of the World or the rumours surrounding other newspapers, this has been recycled for the last 72 hours; nor will articulate the political fallout – both David Cameron and Ed Miliband hired former News International employees (both have allegations about them). And Labour and Tories were both guests at a recent dinner party, hosted by Murdoch.
Instead, I wish to raise one point. The press in general. Limited reports are suggesting ordinary journalists are witnessing hostility from the public. Andrew Gilligan noted a wave of e-mails, criticising his work and abilities as a journalists, something he has never witnessed. According to Mr Gilligan he is not the only journalist to experience this.
McCarthyism-esque inquiries will damage our reputation as a democracy – a free press is fundamental to holding the government to account. Regulation on their abilities to conduct investigation journalism would be a disaster for Britain. Yes, the hacking scandal was immoral, but it was a failure of the criminal justice system. It was the Metropolitan Police which warned against a public inquiry and turned a blind eye to criminality at a variety of news papers.
Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. You might find the press irritating. But as Edmund Burke elegantly pointed out, the press are the fourth estate and the true guardians of liberty.
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