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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Murdoch scandal is Britain's Watergate and the mighty will fall

Posted on Friday, July 08, 2011 at 11:08 PM

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The hacking scandal in Britain will be that country's Watergate I predict, a spreading scandal and cancer that will eat away at the heart of the Britihs political, law enforcement and media establishment.

It may well take down Rupert Murdoch, described as the most power man in Britain since Winston Churchhill and the Prime Minister David Cameron as well.

The Murdoch question comes down to ala Watergate what did he know and when did he know it?

Did he know police officers were being bribed, did he know that phones of crime victims were being hacked?

We know his son knew that cops were being paid off-- it is not a huge stretch to imagine the father knew too.

Like Watergate the core of the problem will be the cover-up. It now appears that hundreds of thousands of files were deleted by News International in connection with past enquiries into hacking and police being paid off for tips.

Who was being copied on those files?

It also apears that Prime Minister Cameron ignored several warnings that the man he appointed his chief press sofficer, Andrew Coulson, had taken part in much more illegal activities than he had ever admitted.

Guardian editor Alan Rushbridger warned Cameron about Coulson and told him much worse was to come about phone hacking than had been revealed.

Cameron stupidly ignored the advice.

He may pay dearly. Not only was Coulson his press officer he was a close friend who introduced him to the inner circle of Murdoch's media world.They all became fast friends.

With News International head Rebekah Brooks saying that much worse it due to come out over the next few months, it is hard to see this scandal stopping any time soon.

It will inevitably land at Murdoch's door. Because his son has already admitted that he provided money to bribe British police officers he will be a definite casualty of this, as will Brooks who clearly knows where the bodies are buried.

Once Brooks is arrested she will face an obvious choice to either go to jail or take down those above her who knew.

The question she will be asked will be clear .

What did Rupert know and when did he know it?

Where have we heard that before?

The answer I believe will be that Rupert knew all about about what his newspapers were up to.

Watch this space.

I emailed a friend who work sat The Guardian last night. He promised much more to come.

This will get very interesting

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Towngate | Jul 14, 2011, 06:32 PM EDT

Cheer up, Sean, at least you've got the old songs and a world of memories. ~ look after yourself,now.

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seanomelbourne | Jul 13, 2011, 07:53 PM EDT

A another walk down dubilin in the rare old times wod be grand but sad not possible.Townie In Dublin a few years ago I was in a cafeteria having brekkie a lady sitting next to me asked if I was a tourist(now that's sad)I replied sort a I live in Australia but a dubliner by birth,She replied.If you think you are goin to find dubilin in the rare old times your f---ing mistaken .And how right she was.

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Towngate | Jul 13, 2011, 03:58 AM EDT

Greetings to me old Clondalkin segotia....Aahh, shur, 'Forty Coats' is long gone ... long gone !... buh yeh can still gerra birra 'gur' to reck yer stumik. Btw: We are still looking out for yeh ah dairport ... I'll take yeh for a sentymental sthroll down to 'Doblan Feour'. Slawn-cha!

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seanomelbourne | Jul 11, 2011, 07:33 PM EDT

You lot will have me cryiong for a piece of gur cake and a sighting of johnnie forty coats

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themurphia | Jul 10, 2011, 06:56 PM EDT

You 'goys'...what are you like...lololol...death threats on message boards...hahaha...just didn't see the funny side...hohoho...must need to change my kotex...hehehe...can't wait to tell that one to my brief...hahaha

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Towngate | Jul 10, 2011, 11:16 AM EDT

Begob! Jakers, is 'yer wan' a wan?! Hard to know. It did seem a bit touchy about the matter. / When you say 'Romanesque' do you mean from the Vat.-man in the pointy hat? / / I wondered if it had come from Portrane or is it going there? - Or is it banging on the high walls of the Dun Drum!? / / / I agree the Murdo's are possibly 'mad,bad and dangerous to know', but we should stop short of 'murderous' - that's going beyant the beyant awltogedder! They've put many a decent roof up and many a decent dinner in many a decent gob. / / / Btw: Glad you get the jokes! Keep laughing!....and keep the 'new wurds' flowing ... an' go aisy on that barebum ban-shee from RimeLick - she could drop dead on yeh afterwards .... We wouldn't want yeh up on Section 61:,now.

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jacersagain | Jul 10, 2011, 08:55 AM EDT

Thanks for the laughs Townie'git - but mark my worldless words: Yer wan, de manic murphia, is rising from the ashes of the Romanesque world, eh? I still say the merciless, murderous Murdochous clan needs to watch its prints. As dey say, the 'pin' is mightier dan the sworded ord.'Tis many a written word that killed or memoried a writer (& journieman).

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themurphia | Jul 10, 2011, 06:46 AM EDT

hancock: ok...!

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Towngate | Jul 10, 2011, 02:59 AM EDT

Aw, Jakers,Jakers,what's upset you now? I ploughed through your Coments below in good faith in the hope of finding some of your usual Gems. Alas no! Barren and bare as a ban-sidthe's backside! Just yada-yada blah blah until my eye fell on the brilliant and original term "Scoundrelous". A very useful term suitable for use worldwide: Kennedy, Nixon, Clinton,Blair, Thatcher, Obama, Biffo Cowan, Haughey, Ahern; the list may be endless....and apply to many more but never to a fellow 'Dub' when calling for his writing to be banned! - A sweeter,more mild-mannered and compassionate Irish patriot as you'd ever see tramping over the local Mountains in the steps of Pearse, Connolly Markewitz and Dev - literally! - looking down on me beloved Capital. Now this from you! Was it for this now from the likes of you that "...I met them at the Pillar and fought and died for Ireland?" What's eating yeh? Out with it, man! ~ Don't take a sniddling little girly pot-shot and run like a " scurrier". That's a 'scuttering gurrier' to you; and 'an example of 'Dublin low-life with permanent diahorrea' - to the rest of the world. Man up,Daddy! - and make yer chislers preeeoud av yeh!

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jacersagain | Jul 09, 2011, 11:38 PM EDT

I emailed one of my sons, a press hack, about the End of the News of the World (after a long 168 yrs, compared to c.2000 yrs of the Bible’s continuing Good News for the Whole World). Know what he said? “Daddy, I wish you wouldn’t tell me what we hacks were afraid of. This exposé stuff is really bad news to us all in the Press field.” Basically, he was saying that this could mean the end of his job as a hack (farsighted of him, I must say!) I don’t need to tell anyone what I said to my son in return... sorry, I mean, really, in retort. ¬ Every aspiring journalist should get out of journalism before they are enraptured by this false, stupid nincompoop Murdoch regime, even if it pays them to write stories procured by exceptional and often most illegal procurement means. That should put Niall O’Dowd and his hacks on guard... for example: Niall must never ever print an exclusive exposé report on ICentral of something just because his brother, with his human presence and listening ears, is a member of the Irish Cabinet room. We Irish know that politicians promise us the earth, moon and stars and always fail to deliver the truth. Just as it is within a Cabinet room and our own family rooms, there is never agreement between all except only on agreed announcements - e.g . “The Govt has agreed that... (the rest is Irish Bull)”. And we consumers, and we of the electorate, are not so stupid as to accept their pronunciations through any kind of Press. Now, dere’s a scandal. Or, as we say in Irish, Scannal!! Or, in Hiberno-Saxon, scoundrelous! I think entertainment is scoundrelous and should be banned from all press pages, including GeorgieBoycieD’s and Towngategit’s contributions from the pages of Irish Central. Mwuh-ha-aargh!

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hancock | Jul 09, 2011, 08:00 PM EDT

Fox is number 1 for a mile in this country. Dream on lefties/Aussies.

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jdi2269 | Jul 09, 2011, 07:31 PM EDT

HOW SCARY....NIALL WANTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT UNTIL IRELAND TOLD HIM NO!

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seanomelbourne | Jul 09, 2011, 07:13 PM EDT

Lets hope this will lad to the demise of the corrupt "news ltd" maybe the corrupt Fox/GOP channel will fall with it.

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themurphia | Jul 09, 2011, 06:35 PM EDT

Thank God for people like Alan Rusbridger...at last an ethical journalist...there is a GOD...what chance of a mention in the Honours list none absolutely none...not that he'd want it...Murdoch another Dynasty undone...he has restored my faith in decency...It takes a brave wo/man to stand up to bullies...what was it Edmund Burke(?) said..For evil to prevail all that is required is for good men to do nothing....I paraphrase...Well done the 'Grauniad' you old thorn in the side of the Establishment...Those old lefties..doncha love 'em...?

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Towngate | Jul 09, 2011, 05:55 PM EDT

Niall,a chara: When things get this dark - you need a brilliant light to shine. ~ The 'cosy relationship' between Westminster,The Press (specifically Murdo)and the Police has been an open secret for some time. British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday shone that light and stood square on to the world and said plainly " Yes! We have ALL been 'at it'! Yes! even ME!" ~ Instantly you could hear the raging coals hissing down to cinders. He then ordered two Formal Enquiries - one Legal,the other Parliamentary. ~ More hissing of the cinders ... No, Niall,I respectfully suggest you've read this one wrongly: There has been some bad practice possibly bordering on the evil, immoral and illegal, but there is no Watergate style Presidential wrong-doing and attempted cover-up that was the cause of such offence in America. So don't worry, this is just a 'little local difficulty' which will be resolved in the traditional British way: waffle,bluff,smokescreens,obfuscation, a few sackings, some short prison sentences, all caried off with a stiff upper lip, a jaunty step, and a confident grin; and all rounded off with a lovely slice of Madeira sponge cake and a good strong cup of tea! ~ Yes! Muddle through! - That's the British way, Old Boy! ~ Gosh! Almost makes one proud to be Aarsh,wot?

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