Scum-watch: Well meaning, not bloody shameful.
For those who were perhaps expecting the Sun to allude to the heavy criticism their stories involving Jacqui Janes have received, not just in other quarters but on their own comment facilities, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed with today's follow-up. The closest their report comes to acknowledging that maybe Gordon Brown's letter wasn't more evidence of his "underlying disregard for the military" is in this sentence:
Funny, the paper didn't think it was well-meaning yesterday or on Monday. Then it was "bloody shameful".
Mrs Janes incidentally has been persuaded, doubtless by the Sun itself, to make clear that her intentions were the very best:
Except the paper turned it into politics, whether Janes wanted them to or not. On any grounds, that's exploitation of a grieving person.
As for an editorial comment, the only thing which it offers today is a typically lachrymose, jingoistic and unfeeling demand that everyone remembers. Gordon Brown will presumably unfairly cop it again once this whole incident slips down the memory hole.
Mr Brown's apology ended 48 hours of uproar since The Sun first revealed the mistakes in his well-meaning but badly handwritten note.
Funny, the paper didn't think it was well-meaning yesterday or on Monday. Then it was "bloody shameful".
Mrs Janes incidentally has been persuaded, doubtless by the Sun itself, to make clear that her intentions were the very best:
Jacqui also set the record straight on her contact with The Sun and her recording of the PM's phone call, in which she berated him over troop and helicopter shortages.
Mum-of-six Jacqui, 47, said: "I released the tape because I wanted people to know what he really said to me, not what Downing Street put out.
"I also want to make clear that I didn't take a penny in payment for interviews with The Sun."
Jacqui said she contacted The Sun because the paper backs Britain's Forces, adding: "It had nothing to do with politics."
Except the paper turned it into politics, whether Janes wanted them to or not. On any grounds, that's exploitation of a grieving person.
As for an editorial comment, the only thing which it offers today is a typically lachrymose, jingoistic and unfeeling demand that everyone remembers. Gordon Brown will presumably unfairly cop it again once this whole incident slips down the memory hole.
Labels: abuses by tabloids, Afghanistan, fall of Gordon Brown, Gordon Brown, Jacqui James, politics, Scum-watch, Sun-watch
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" ... I didn't take a penny" probably means the paper hasn't coughed up yet.
Posted by
Jemmy Hope |
Thursday, November 12, 2009 2:17:00 PM