R2OK!

Minx · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:07 pm Post subject: The Leverson Inquiry

After watching Hugh Grant play the archetypal Hugh Grant yesterday, I watched Steve Coogan doing his 'Messiah' bit today.

It looked strikingly like a load of celebrities complaining about a bit of bad press whilst clamouring pathetically to grab a bit of good press.

Their sham self-centred performances contrast painfully with those who've been the real victims of press tactics, people who've had their privacy shamelessly invaded whilst going through their own personal hell.

Enough!
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

I totally agree, I feel so sorry for the Dowlers who are the real victims in all of this.

H
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ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I agree with you both but as well as sympathising with the Dowler family we should not forget that over many years countless numbers of other ordinary decent people have had their lives ruined by lies published by the tabloid press with or without the use of phone hacking

If all of them gave evidence the inquiry would last about 30 years so the Dowler family is effectively representing all of their interests

Incidentally I heard JV read out your e mail today Helen and thought your point was very well made and I think so did Jeremy
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Hope I didn't sound too blunt Ruddles, but sometimes I think that's the only way to get your point across.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I think you're right Helen because even the BBC is 'tabloid' up to a point Sad

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littlepieces · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 1098 Location: Lowestoft

I'm sorry but i do have sympathy for Coogan and Grant,of course it goes without saying that the case of the Dowler's and today the Watsons is much more important but then again where have Grant and coogan said otherwise?

Coogan has said he is no saint but does that mean he should have the press on his case.He has taken cocaine gone to lap dancing clubs and cheated on various partners.Not a nice bloke but one who is allowed a private life.

The press use underhand tactics to get stories that tbh don't really mean that much to me but there does seem to be a market out there.
This is a case about the press and today the court was told of two suicides related to the press.One was aan ex prem footballer who was hounded for cheating again wrong but do you know someone who hasn't cheated? anyway his father couldnt handle the intrusion and commited suicide.

The 2nd and i will be honest i felt a chill with this.A 15 yr old boy commited suicide holding an article about his murdered sister which was basicly justyfing the murder due to alleged bullying

The press in this country is poor and to be honest quite evil.
Celebs are helping to bring the truth out
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Ian Robinson · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:49 am Post subject:

Yeah, I largely agree with you littlepieces - the celebs are helping expose the dirty tactics the press use on people less able to stand up for themselves.

But I'm not sure about Flitcroft today. The link to the newspapers and his father's suicide seemed a little tenuous and he didn't seem to grasp that maybe some of it was his fault because of his affairs. Obviously, he's had a tough time but I couldn't quite connect. That said, he manages my home team and they had a storming win tonight so something went right!

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

As far as I am concerned I agree whatever the motives may be of Grant and Coogan and others, if their pressure leads to a change in the position over press regulation to the benefit of ordinary people then that can only be a good thing

As a lawyer one of the things I have been campaigning for over many years is for Legal Aid to be made available in cases involving defamation provided the LSC feels that the person concerned has a potentially winnable case - at the moment it is sadly not available

We all know that there are lawyers particularly in London who will theoretically take these cases on a 'no win no fee' basis but the catch is that they often ask for as much as £100000 up front simply to look at a case to enable them to decide whether they can take it on this basis so the system is of little help to most ordinary people

Defamation by newspapers can and does destroy peoples lives and often their health and careers and redress should be available to everyone not just the likes of Hugh Grant and co Sad

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