Ditch the Lobby
Mandelson's appearance on the Andrew Marr show this morning sustained me in my conviction that editors must now get together and agree to withdraw from the lobby system. Marr could not really lay a glove on Mandelson because he could not break the lobby and everyone at Brown's press conference - Brown, the hacks - knew he was lying when he said he had not tried to get rid of Darling. In fact, he tried to make him go on Thursday night and Friday morning. The lobby, thanks to the years of New Labour spinning and bullying, is now a conspiracy against the electorate. Destroying it would go some way to purifying politics and political coverage. There are now no arguments for its continued survival.
# posted by Bryan Appleyard : 9:28 AM
9 Comments:
At June 07, 2009 10:05 AM,
maxine said…
Yes, one of the many things that has to happen is for the cosy relationship between media and govt to end. This means that no serving journalist should be allowed to accept any government honour (knighthood, etc) until they have retired. This was the case until Mrs Thatcher began handing out honours to editors of newspapers that supported her, and now look at the rampant corruption.
(I am not too sure about serving politicians having regular columns in newspapers either....too much conflict of interest.)
At June 07, 2009 11:54 AM,
ian russell said…
there is possibly one argument left, mr. revolutionary - what shall take its place?
not that I'm for or against it mind.
At June 07, 2009 12:02 PM,
Rick said…
Agree about ending the lobby. What's somewhat amusing is that the rules of the gentleman's club turned out very expensive for those that declined to buy the disk with MPs' expenses on it. I wouldn't restrict freedom in any way. Transparency is all.
At June 07, 2009 12:11 PM,
Sean said…
Now that would be a leap forward, but at the end of the day monopolies are very hard to break.
At June 07, 2009 12:58 PM,
epiphyte said…
But isn't this what Blair tried to do back in 2002 with the help of Campbell by introducing extra-lobby briefings?
I can't believe that Campbell truly did this for the good of us great unwashed. So, where does PR end and Public Interest start?
What I do know is that I deeply distrust any cosy relationship with politicians these days.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/downing-street-to-end-exclusive-daily-briefings-for-lobby-journalists-649398.html
At June 07, 2009 1:06 PM,
Mark said…
If Andrew Marr knew he couldn't lay a glove on Mandelson then why did he have him on his show? It isn't only the lobby that is crock. It's the whole Westminster circus.
People have been saying the same things about the lobby system for years just as they have about "Totally Candid" Broon. Nothing's happened, yet. Nick Cohen today is right on the nail about why, imho.
At June 07, 2009 1:42 PM,
Gaw said…
As useful as ditching the lobby might be, I fear Brown's shameless mendacity is something that can't be addressed institutionally. The man himself is pure poison and has dragged British political life into really unimagined depthts. I'm afraid I chunter on about this dispiriting subject more here: http://gawragbag.blogspot.com/2009/06/can-we-impeach-him.html.
At June 07, 2009 2:13 PM,
Spongebob said…
They are a priesthood. They know things that are in the public interest but don't tell us. The BBC is probably worst of all. And now the star one of their leading productions, the Apprentice, is the Government Enterprise Champion. We're turning into Italy - though Brown isn't quite the babe magnet that Silvio appears to be.
At June 07, 2009 5:39 PM,
Chris said…
Silvio probably pays them.
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