Paul Dacre at the Leveson Inquiry

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here

I was going to add comment to the other thread I started here at the beginning of the inquiry but purely for the comedy value alone, I felt this warranted it's own, shiney new thread. The above isn't word for word, just the guardian blog, but there are some crackers in there, and I haven't even got to the end.

Did you know, criticism of the Daily Mail stems from a lack of understanding on how journalism works? Next time you see a thread on here quoting the Daily Mail, just remember, we just don't understand how journalism works. Feast your eyes on the pearls of wisdom dished out by the one and only Mr Dacre, and enjoy...

I like Robert Jay.

I admire his forensic, yet playful, line when questioning pompous oafs unused to being asked the time let alone to account for why they?ve decided to set themselves up as Her Majesty?s Unofficial Opposition and Arbitrator of Public Morals.

I like his meaningful pauses of just the right duration that suggest that systematically trashing someone?s reputation for no good reason is of no more significance for pond scum than buying a scratchcard on the way home from setting up a secret webcam in next door?s bedroom.

I even like his obviously theatrical outrage at Richard Desmond?s assertion that the McCanns should have been grateful that his newspapers accused them of murdering their daughter because it kept the hunt for little Maddie alive even though, to the regret of the Express and Star, she was clearly not.

Also I like his spectacles with the yellow-tinged arms and his curly hair.

My name is limitedperiodonly and I am a Robert Jay addict.

methinks you have a bit of a crush there limited. I agree with your summary of his technique though. Just today, the way he set Yates up nicely with that exert from the email 'calling in all those champagne bottles' was just pure class. It's quite amusing watching those who think they are far too intelligent to get tripped up by the questioning, get themselves featured on the ten o'clock news, such is the impact of what Jay has extracted from them.

Does anyone else think that the Daniel Morgan murder case is going to be the Really Big Story That Changes Everything? I can't help thinking that a newspaper getting involved in an attempt to subvert the course of justice in a murder case is going to cause far more outrage than even the hacking scandal.

I agree about Jay. He's brilliant. I quite like Leveson too. Cool, calm, articulate and sharp. I feel hopeful, as a citizen, having those two leading the charge.

which kind of makes up very slightly from watching plod and thinking 'dear God, these are/were the people in charge ?!'

I hope so hackmum

banana I'm just fascinated by legal procedure

MrGin I like Leveson too. I don't know he keeps a straight face at times.

Yeah. You can see a smile creeping onto his face sometimes.

He looked exasperated with Yates and co at times.

Jay mulling over the champagne email was perfectly worded and, well just brilliant.

Yates looked like he was speaking from some despot dictators office.

Some of Jay's best 'bits' for those who admire his work...

When this is all over Mumsnet should invite Jay for a webchat.

Miles more interesting than Goldie Hawn and I think he'd like the attention - though he'd protest a couple of times for decorum's sake.

He's got the Elvis Costello look about him, but a bit slimmer and much posher.

hackinginquiry.org/

Thanks black.

Further to hackmum's question: surely several senior police officers will face serious charges. Maybe they'll get away with it. Who's going to order the investigations and make sure they're done properly and don't collapse like the Daniel Morgan trial?

And re-reading Brooks' patronising statement to NoW staff on the last day about in a year's time all becoming clear. It still sounds like she didn't realise it would hit her. I believe she and the other NI execs are arrogant enough to believe they could sacrifice the small fry but is she really that stupid?

Not sure about Mr Jay's tie this morning.

Paul Stephenson's trying to justify endless drinks and dinner with newspapers execs, primarily NI ones, on the grounds that it's his job to find out what these people think of the Met.

That's what your press team is for and then you could always take on an outside PR consultant, preferably not one who's left NI under a cloud.

Alternatively you could just read the papers.

Jay's tie does make him look a bit peaky. Navy is not his colour

And the laughable idea that this wasn't an attempt to get favourable coverage.

Stevens, Stephenson, Yates, Hayman and Clarke enjoyed fabulous press that glossed over considerable mistakes: 'the Coppers' Copper', 'Yates of the Yard' that double page spread in the NoW praising the Met and lying about John Charles de Menezes the weekend after he'd been shot.

I'm beginning to think that the hapless Sir Ian Blair should have put in more time in restaurants with NI staff. They were probably scared that Brian Paddick was going to invite them to gay bars.

Wonder who the 'senior' police officer was who favoured NI? And have they already graced Leveson's Inquiry with their presence ?

Baker was good, you could almost sense his contempt for all those 'champagne lunches'. And this >> Exposing your genitalia while identifying yourself as a member of X-shire police might not be the corporate image you are trying to convey very succinct.

Kit Malthouse is getting a pasting now. And good 'ol Boris too.

On a side note, Andrew Neil's tweets about Murdoch dangling carrots for Alex Salmond, in a 2 fingers response to this whole mess, worries me greatly. I don't want the issue of independence being sidelined by the whole Murdoch/NI/BskyB debacle. It's far too important an issue for Salmond to simply roll over for Murdoch and do his bidding. FFS, you'd think after all the grubby links politicians have had with Murdoch and his empire that Salmond would know better than to jump at this. I think Cameron might well have found Salmond's achilles heel with this. Assuming Cameron gets out of this squeaky clean.

But I digress Roll on the 3rd part of the inquiry, with the focus on the politicians. Leveson himself says this part of the enquiry is 'almost redundant' with the work done by Filkin and Baker. I kind of agree, not sure what else there needs to be said about the Met's balls-ups. But, there might well be more grenades to come.

I didn't see any of it yesterday afternoon.

You're going to have to narrow it down if you really want anyone to guess the identity of that senior police officer who favoured NI

Who was Baker? Genitalia? I'm going to Google.

I loathe Johnson. I've never voted in a Mayoral election because there's never a worthy candidate but this year it's going to be Livingstone just to get that smug chancer out.

Malthouse is a thug.

I heard Neil on that Murdoch/Salmond alliance on his Sunday show. I think he's right.

Got it now. Roger Baker seems just the man to lead an inquiry into the conduct of the Met.

Sorry limited I was just picking bits out of the guardian blog, no idea who the 'senior' officer was who favoured NI. Let's face it, the list is way too long for the guess to be easy. My gut tels me they may well have already graced the inquiry though. Or at least had a mention at any rate. But that's just pure speculation on my part.

Agree re Baker. He displayed just the right amount of common sense, while showing utter contempt for the excessive hospitality Senior officers enjoyed over the years. He had a real no nonsense attitude that was quite refreshing to hear.

This is from the Guardian blog

Lord Justice Leveson is surprised by the brevity of today's hearing. "You have failed me, Mr Jay," he quips.

Early finish today. Pretty boring actually, all about press/media contacts, more lunches/dinners/jobs for the boys scenarios for retired cops/journos.

I thought Baker was good too. A real contrast in his plain speaking Yorkshire-ness to the senior met officers who so enjoyed being wined and dined.

At one point he said if he was talking to a journo they'd be water or tea ' much like at this inquiry' , I think Jay quiped that maybe they should have Champaigne at the inquiry... everyone laughed.

Leveson said he thought it would all go much faster if there was.

I give Baker 8/10 for integrety.

Why did he lose those 2 points MrGin? You harsh thing, you.

Why did he lose those 2 points MrGin?

Didn't like his tie :o

Really interesting stuff today. It really is a wicked web that Yates/Stephenson/Fedorcio et al. have weaved with their socialising and media contacts. Fedorcio and Hayman, as well as Yates, all hinted at as allegedly being the source of leaks too. The Damien Green arrest is now dragging up political interferance, and how messy these 3 elements combined were. Yates is looking more and more like a complete idiot, clearly dazzled by his 'well connected' status. Stephenson doesn't come out well from today's evidence either. I know I've already said it, but roll on the third part of the inquiry with all the political elements/connections etc. Today's evidence opened the door slightly, and I'm already intrigued...

And Lord Justice Leveson swore as well!

Just pondering to myself - when will Oliver Stone make this lot into a 4 hour head-fuck of a movie? I think my brain is going to explode with all this stuff. Just when you think you've got your head around what's going on, something else is thrown into the mix and then the starts over again. Bloody brilliant this!