www.theweek.co.uk/politics/hacking-trial...despite-brooks-trial
FRESH questions about David Cameron’s judgment concerning his closeness to the Murdoch clan have been raised this morning after it was confirmed that both the PM and Chancellor George Osborne attended a 50th birthday party thrown by Matthew Freud and his wife Elisabeth Murdoch on Saturday.
Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive and flame-haired member of the Chipping Norton set, was absent from the party at Burford Priory in Oxfordshire. But the fact that Cameron and Osborne were there – in the midst of the phone-hacking trial involving Brooks and other former Murdoch executives - has raised eyebrows around Westminster.
And it doesn’t help that their presence at the bash was at first denied.
When Tim Walker, editor of the Mandrake gossip column, first wrote up the Saturday night bash for the online Telegraph on Sunday morning he reported that Freud had confirmed that neither Cameron nor Brooks were present.
But yesterday a spokesman for Freud came back to Walker with the “clarification” that not only was the PM there, but so was his Chancellor.
As Walker tweeted: “All the best lead diary stories should have the whole country screaming 'WTF?’ (What the F***?)”
WTF? has indeed been the general response this morning. Daily Politics host Andrew Neil tweeted: “Matthew Freud ‘forgets’ David Cameron was at his 50th. As you do.”
Ben Brogan, deputy editor of the Daily Telegraph, added: “So it turns out Dave (and George) were at Matthew Freud's b'day party after initial denials. Was that wise I wonder?”
There were plenty of other celebrities at the bash. Davina McCall and Jimmy Carr were among those treated to a performance from Bob Geldof and U2 frontman Bono. The duo joined forces to perform a rendition of Martha and the Vandellas’ Dancing in the Street.
“While the Prime Minister may have been absent, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell made his presence known by playing the bagpipes,” said Walker in his initial report.
Downing Street has “form” when it comes to being reticent about Murdoch-related matters, says Walker today. “One thinks of the belated statement about the horse he rode that was lent to Miss Brooks by the police, and the Christmas party he attended at her home in 2010, along with James Murdoch, as News Corp was trying to take over BSkyB…
“The presence of the PM and the Chancellor at a gathering organised by a member of the Murdoch clan as Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive, is on trial over phone hacking allegations is likely to lead to questions about their judgment.”
What a bunch of complete cunts, including Bono, Geldof and Jimmy Carr. I can't be too critical of Davina, she's an utter moron.
