Extensive Phone Hacking by MGN

[Roussette]

So... Harry has won his case.

As lawyers are saying now... this is massive. 15 out of 33 accusations of hacking by Harry were upheld as a result of phone hacking and other illegal practices.
Hacking and blagging were even taking place during the Leveson enquiry.

He has won damages of £140,000 plus. And before this thread descends into Harry hate, please think of all the other claimants who have also had their claims upheld and damages awarded to them. They went through hell, medical records hacked and reported on, trackers on cars, phones hacked...

It's not about the money, it's about 'accountability of power'.

That's a chicken and egg.

The media has a huge say in who gets elected.

Any candidate thought likely to impact the red tops' business model of selling prurient gossip will be heavily smeared by aforementioned red tops and the other papers with the same owners.

Leveson 1 only happened because the Milly Dowler scandal blew up shortly after a General Election rather than shortly before one; and because David Cameron employing Andy Coulson (later convicted for being in it up to his neck) as his Dir of Comms meant that Cameron absolutely could not just pretend Nothing To See Here. Hard as he tried.

Today's editorial from The Independent.

The Independent was founded on the belief that journalism is a noble calling. It is a tragedy therefore when it is poisoned by cheating, criminality and a refusal to admit wrongdoing.
The findings of the High Court that the publisher of the Daily Mirror unlawfully hacked Prince Harry’s phone could not be more damning. It has been reported as a “partial” victory because the court did not find in Harry’s favour in all 33 cases, but the principle of good journalism is binary: either the Mirror cheated, and broke the law without a public interest defence, or it did not. Mr Justice Fancourt found that it did. Not only that, but its journalists and executives destroyed evidence and obfuscated about what they had done.
This poisons the well of journalism as much as it dents the reputation of a great brand. It is not just the Daily Mirror that is tarnished by these rulings. News UK, publisher of The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, has just settled out of court with Chris Huhne, the former Liberal Democrat MP. Other cases, including some against other newspapers, are pending.
So today’s rulings are a total vindication for those who claimed that many tabloid newspapers used criminal methods to secure what was mostly celebrity gossip and tittle-tattle – and was sometimes used for the darker purposes of seeking to intimidate those who would hold them to account.
It has been a long and difficult struggle for a large number of litigants, but Harry had more to lose than most. He has been a figure of ridicule for many reasons, but on this issue he has fought the good fight for the principle of decent journalism and accountability. Wise heads called him foolhardy when they should have saluted his courage. At least they can now accept that he has been vindicated.
Some of them may continue to play down the significance of what the High Court has decided. It may be said that journalism never had much of a reputation anyway, and that people will continue, rightly, to hold a low opinion of it.
We disagree. Journalism has always been a mixture of high principle and low entertainment. It is, as the late Alan Watkins called it, a “rough old trade”. But it is a precious trade. All tyrannies curtail the media, which makes it all the sadder and more reprehensible when journalists in free democracies pollute the media themselves.
Vladimir Putin would like nothing more than that public opinion in democratic countries should regard all journalists with contempt as the purveyors of untruths. The British public is properly sceptical of the tabloid press and its online equivalents, but we believe that good journalism is still recognised and valued.
The Duke of Sussex may be an unlikely ally in the permanent struggle to defend the integrity of journalism, but it matters that the reputation of the media be lifted as far as possible from the gutter.
Through David Sherborne, his lawyer, Harry called on the Metropolitan Police and prosecuting authorities to “investigate bringing charges against the company and those who broke the law”. He is quite right. Those who are guilty of these underhand and illegal practices must pay the price. The Murdoch empire is thought to have paid around £1bn to settle phone-hacking claims against it. Other companies, and the people who ran them and worked for them, are guilty too. It is important for the health of our democracy that they should not get away with it.
It has come to something when The Independent congratulates the younger son of a hereditary monarch for his services to democracy, but Prince Harry should be thanked for his perseverance in holding the noble trade of journalism to account.

No PM will enact it ever. Establishment won't allow it. Keir will win because he's an Establishment man.

That’s fine. We press on. (Hehe)

All tyrannies curtail the media, which makes it all the sadder and more reprehensible when journalists in free democracies pollute the media themselves.
Vladimir Putin would like nothing more than that public opinion in democratic countries should regard all journalists with contempt as the purveyors of untruths. [...]
The Duke of Sussex may be an unlikely ally in the permanent struggle to defend the integrity of journalism, but it matters that the reputation of the media be lifted as far as possible from the gutter.
Through David Sherborne, his lawyer, Harry called on the Metropolitan Police and prosecuting authorities to “investigate bringing charges against the company and those who broke the law”. [...] It is important for the health of our democracy that they should not get away with it.
It has come to something when The Independent congratulates the younger son of a hereditary monarch for his services to democracy, but Prince Harry should be thanked for his perseverance in holding the noble trade of journalism to account.

Hear hear.

I'm watching Strictly at the moment. Jade Goody's son has just finished dancing.
She died when he was 5. Jeff Brazier, his father said that phone hacking ended their relationship as things kept appearing in the newspapers that were private to them.

This.

When he was on GMB he was so pompous in his hatred towards them but mainly MM.

All the time he knew what he'd done.

Seems like it was a game of make people hate them enough so they are proud of me for hacking and posting their private lives.

Except no one really likes him anymore. He's disappeared quite nicely from our screens.

@Reugny thats really sad to hear,I hope her boys are doing well.

It has been a long and difficult struggle for a large number of litigants, but Harry had more to lose than most. He has been a figure of ridicule for many reasons, but on this issue he has fought the good fight for the principle of decent journalism and accountability. Wise heads called him foolhardy when they should have saluted his courage. At least they can now accept that he has been vindicated.

Great article. Thank you.

@Cakester every time we engage with national entertainment someone who has direct links to someone who was phone hacked isn't far away.

O.M.G……I’ve missed a few episodes of Strictly here and there and Jeff looked so familiar to me but just couldn’t place him. Now that you’ve said that - he’s the dead spit of his mum. Aw bless him. (and also wait when did I get so old?)

I have stayed off this thread since this morning.
but this post has annoyed me so much I have to post.
I get so fed up with posters who make passive PA’s like this poster did to me, playing the victim.
if only people would realise that there aren’t sides here, we aren’t teenagers arguing aver Donny/David (oops shows age) yet the fans/stans is used agapanthus one who doesn’t want to cyber bully H&M.
mn hq really need to sort it out

I was just about to copy the same extract.

It is a great article. What I expect from journalists and the media is integrity.

The crazy thing is I don't thing the Daily Mail, the Sun, The Mirror, and people like Piers Morgan, Jeremy Clarkson etc actually dislike/hate Harry and Meghan.

I don't think they give a shiny shite.
They bully, abuse, harrass and ridicule them for one reason only: Money.

They know great swathes of the public will read, listen and watch them say nasty shit about Harry and Meghan, or another person they have their sights on.
And the reality is, they are right.

They dont care if what they are saying is true or a lie or if they obtained the information through illegal means.
They love the fact that the public join in, attacking, making stuff up, as shown on some MN threads, twitter, tik tok etc.

The scum media know they can make a lot of money saying truly vile things about people and getting some members of the public to join in.
Over and over again, they do it, not just to celebrities, royal family, but to ordinary people.

It might seem silly, just gossip or people, like Harry, should let it go. But it's dangerous and ruins lives.
Christopher Jefferies is a prime example of this. The Mirror ran headline after headline accusing him of untrue disgusting crimes. None of which were true.
They didn't care. They made money.

I admire those who stand up to the gutter press and reveal the lack of integrity and illegal means in which they operate.

@StSwithinsDay Thanks for sharing this.

It has come to something when The Independent congratulates the younger son of a hereditary monarch for his services to democracy, but Prince Harry should be thanked for his perseverance in holding the noble trade of journalism to account.

Nice to see the Independent, who last week were splashing on their front pages that Harry and Meghan were the biggest Hollywood losers, suddenly remembering that they’re supposed to be journalists.

Nonetheless, their piece is very welcome, and spot on.

As are pp’s comments on the sinister collusions between the UK media, the Met police, the government, and the Royal family, all scratching each other’s backs at the expense of the private individuals whose lives they ruin, and democracy as a whole.

Pursuing justice, upholding ethical standards, walking the talk about democracy can feel like a losing battle against an entire corrupt establishment. And yet, we must.

Because there are things every citizen can do. Maintain objectivity and seek the truth from investigative journalism and reliable sources, refusing to be manipulated by the screechy clickbait driven tabloids and the Piers Morgans of this world. Support the likes of Harry and other campaigners, rather than falling into the tabloid trap of spending energy obsessively vilifying them, viz the thousands of hateful M&H posts on MN in just the past weeks.

And of course, voting, when the time comes. Won’t solve everything, but might offer some hope for change.

Well said @TallerSally

We all have a collective responsibility to do better. Like him or loathe him, we should all be supporting Harry in his one step so far victory of holding the worst of the worst media to account. Not just Harry, the other claimants this time and those to come in the fight against the gutter press...roll on the next round

What is sad is...every time there's a tragic story or a newsworthy one, my first thoughts are.. this family, this boy, this mother, this person..their lives are going to be turned upside down in the worst way possible by the clickbaity media, the public's thirst for salacious detail knows no bounds. We've all been guilty of it, me included. We must do better.

They bully, abuse, harass and ridicule them for one reason only: Money.. @minou123 . Spot on.

Agree with your excellent posts @TallerSally and @minou123

They bully, abuse, harass and ridicule them for one reason only: Money.

So it really is up to the public to decide whether we will help them in that.

@Roussette I will also give a shout out to Hugh Grant in the larger fight, he has been there from the start and endured significant press intrusion and illegality.

Well said @TallerSally and@minou123. They love the faux outrage about Harry and Meghan because it results in click-through and ad revenue for them. They cynically whip up hysteria as often as possible and let people off the hook at a whim, based on eho gives them the most access/backhanded. The complicity of the authorities, police in particular us absolutely shocking. The press is supposed to he holding these people to account. They have an essential role in upholding democracy. They aren't the same as Hello Magazine. If broadcast media is subject to OFCOM, print media should be too.

@Cakester I agree. I have followed 'Hacked Off Hugh' for years and he has not far short of one million followers.

He has just linked this...

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/64234/murdoch-inc-phone-hacking-chris-huhne-alan-rusbridger

How Murdoch Inc bugged and intimidated anyone who stood in the way of the company’s corporate interests - phone hacking as commercial espionage

Is there any likelihood of Piers Morgan being prosecuted? He didn't give evidence in this case and I'm not sure how long ago it is since he did say anything in court. Has the statute of limitations expired?

I was sure his statement was an attempt to muddy the waters and I don't think it succeeded but I don't feel optimistic about him being called to account.

Goes back to the 90s. Tabloid press destroyed the Royals (and destroyed Diana). Scandal after scandal.

William and Charles/Camilla have worked with them since. Harry hasn't and hasn't forgotten what they did to his mum.

Reuter’s Harry’s “Mirror” Case

Morgan is mentioned in this article.

But it only says London Police are looking into the details. No mention that Morgan is being investigated.

I wouldn’t be sleeping too well if I was him though.

I think he knows too much and too many friends in high places for him to be in much trouble.

Even when he buggered off to Barbados whith his family Christmas 2020, after demanding everyone stayed at home and not see their family. When he was outed over that the MSM wouldn't cover it.

He's very much Murdoch's boy as well.

Yes indeed! Wasn’t it around this time last year when he and Jeremy Clarkson attended a lunch where Camilla was the guest of honour?

Regarding Piers, its understandable we are all pessimistic about those truly responsible, the editors and owners, being held properly accountable. However as this was just the test cases, from the Mirror group alone, and bearing in mind both Piers Morgan and tabloid behaviour leading up to this judgement, I personally think they're all looking a bit worried. They know what's so far been kept from the public, and the authorities, and recent behaviour looks mighty suspicious to me.

I thought his statement indicated he was really worried and a bit panicky. It seemed really inflammatory, even for him. I am not sure though if they can prosecute him due to time constraints. I would certainly like to see him and Rebecca Brooks, and anyone else who knew about illegal activity and got away with it, called to account.

He does seem to know people in the media who keep him out of the papers sometimes. I don't think those friends could affect the police though if there was a case to answer, the most they could do is not cover it. I noticed that Harry's win wasn't prominent in certain tabloids who go ballistic if he does anything they can't soon as negative and I would expect some to minimise reporting of any Morgan prosecution .