Should David Cameron resign?

[reelingintheyears]

Given that Paul Stephenson and John Yates have done so over their 'misjudgements' when hiring Neil Wallis should DC be accountable for his poor judgement in hiring Andy Coulson?

I'm a right wing Tory. I like Cameron.

Just not the climate change hysteria that comes with him. But that's Greg Barker's fault.

@ chabsasaurus you are so right. but you are not as right as you think. The extreme right of the Tory party were licking their lips over Ken Clarke's (ill-judged and misinterpreted) words about rape. It was ironic that the left wanted his head on a plate just as much as the right did.

It is hard being right. I care about the economy more than anything else. I hope that the British electorate will cure their financial illiteracy when Greece goes bust. And when the Chinese buy up the FTSE100. There is no government money. It is our taxes. And by 2020 the NHS will cost ALL of government spending. We cannot afford it. Those of us over 40ish were brought up in a dream world. Those under 30 are probably more aware.

(chub, not sure how right you are, but probably more right than me)

FFS! What planet are you all on? This is distasteful, yes, horrendous for the families involved, BUT it is not a national threat. There are MANY more important things to be worrying about. You have shown yourselves to be the very people to whom the red tops aimed their gossipy rubbish. You are behaving like a load of gossip-mongers who have nothing better to do than slag off things that bear no relation to actualities. Is it any wonder that phone-hacking took off? You lot seem to love nothing more than a good scandal. We need to look to ourselves before taking the moral highground, if no-one were interested, would anyone ever had phone-hacked.....

Maybe he should ,but could any of them do a better job?. At least with this going on he has taken a break from having us believe the majority of the country are on benefits and worse than the dirt on the bottom of your shoe!.After this winter, even more of us will have to claim some sort of benefit because we will be so broke after paying for gas and electric!.Its shameful that we look after the basic needs of people in prisons better than our elderly in this country.

This is more than just a mere 'good scandal'. The Milly Dowler/phone hacking part is a sideshow, just as a scurrilous rag like NotW is a distraction from the reality of the Murdoch Empire. This is to do with money and ultimately power -- who has it, who should have it. This is about how democracy can hold its own against something equally as hungry as China. In the context of a Conservative (Coalition govt) it is about who gets first dibs on national resources and public services when they go on the auction block, for what kind of price and to what end.

It's also about public trust.

Hacking of Milly Dowler's phone absolutely despicable.

But it's a difficult issue (as Murdoch said) what about the Telegraph paying money to gain private documents revealing MPs fiddling their expenses ... ??

And as justcross said, not everyone - but many people who bought the NoW are also responsible in some part. You can't separate the pressure to supply stories by dubious means from the commercial imperatives/sales figures ...

Yes Im disgusted how they all 'in and out of each others houses' so to speak, however I understand that the press and politicians rely on each other and lobby journalists can often form good working relationships with MPS over the years who are based at the Houses of Commons BUT:

The hiring of him was too far and very ill judged.

Ridiculous for Cameron to resign over this. Maybe if he'd taken the country to war, costing several hundred lives against good advice not to - something like that. But hiring what he thought would be his Alastair Campbell. Mistake but hardly worth a resignation. Collusion with the Murdoch's press isn't a Tory crime - it's been a political truth for years. Time to change that but not for the PM to resign. Nonsensical. Also the crowing over 'scalps won' in the Guardian offices is pretty unpleasant too - have heard it in person. Great coup for the Guardian but don;t think they don't love the whole game as well.

Tony Blair didn't resign. For much worse. Why should Cameron?

Exactly Clam.

Fair point clam

This is not about newsroom culture. Or even political culture for that matter, or how politicians and media relate to each other and to the electorate. That old chestnut has been around since the first days of the yellow press, with virtually identical concerns raised to the ones we see now.

It is about one particular media individual and company, about its unprecedented concentration of power and the potential to dominate markets, about access to political influence, and the balance of power between the elected, the electorate, and people whose influence or aims have never been subjected to the judgement of the voters, in the interests of parties and groups circling like vultures to pick over what is left of the NHS and other state controlled (publicly controlled) entities when they pass from public to private hands.

mathanxiety

I agree with Shinyshoes1. As Cameron repeated many times today - he would not have hired Coulson had he known what he now knows. All the politicians are dubious and really I am beginning to think that Hackgate is taking up too much media space when other important things are happening - the Euro crisis, in particular.

Sorry whizz but Cameron's excuse that 'I didn't know then what I know now' is bollocks. Of course he ruddy well knew! He had dozens of opportunities to face the facts, he just thought he could avoid them because it had been nicely covered up by a compromised police force that hadn't looked too carefully into News International.

What has he said? He is sorry? Am sure he is, but the country is still in turmoil. The economy needs to grow and its not. So far he has not shown strong leadership.

I think these will be a telling times. As those newspapers that until now almost dictated the political and social climate of the country might see their power curtailed.

edam - Tom Watson sent Cam a letter on 4th October 2010 raising serious concerns about Coulson. So yes, he did know that, at least.

mathanxiety: "This is more than just a mere 'good scandal'. The Milly Dowler/phone hacking part is a sideshow, just as a scurrilous rag like NotW is a distraction from the reality of the Murdoch Empire. This is to do with money and ultimately power -- who has it, who should have it. This is about how democracy can hold its own against something equally as hungry as China."

Damn right, girl!

I am astonished by the ignorance and lack of insight of people saying that this scandal is a large storm in a medium-sized teacup. Of course politicians and the media need each other; that goes without saying. But should they be so closely intertwined that one says 'jump' and the other says 'how high?' Would you buy a newspaper knowing that all of its political coverage was being directed behind the scenes by influential politicians breathing down the journos' necks? Why on earth should we accept this of our politicians?

Also fwiw the close relationship between NI and No 10 was actually started by Maggie. And Major was the one who brought in the toadying aspect. So yes, 'tis the Tories who are to blame for everything!

And fwiw I think ALL the PMs, from Mags through to Cam should be held to account for allowing our so-called democracy to be controlled by the likes of Murdoch.

Equally, should we have to be ruled by people who are in the pockets of media magnates? When the BSkyB deal was very nearly put through, shouldn't we have been told the government was obeying Murdoch's orders?

Clam.... Blair should have resigned. Bloody mini despot.
Doesn't mean Dave should hang on though, this was a spectacular error of judgment.

It would be ridiculous for Cameron to resign for this, he made a mistake but if the Prime Minister had to resign everytime they made a mistake we'd have a new Prime Minister every couple of months.

You lefties were quite happy to be governed by the unions. A bit of hypocrisy here.

Yes he should, 26 meetings with News International and he refuses to deny that he did not discuss BSKYB bid.