Cameron and Rebekah Brooks – “not a big deal”

Rebekah Brooks (Getty Images)

David Cameron has owned up that the story about him being seen deep in conversation with Rebekah Brooks at a Christmas Party is true, though he thinks that it is of no importance. They were seen deep in what was described as an “intense” conversation at a party for the Chipping Norton set on 15 December.

The Prime Minister told Five Live yesterday: “My wife’s cousin had a party and I went. It is not a big deal, what really matters is the country… I am very focused on the job I do.”

Mrs Brooks currently faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, one charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, and three charges of conspiring to intercept phone communications, one of which relates to the hacking of the mobile phone of the murdered schoolgirl, Millie Dowler. They all arise from her time with News International, where she was chief executive until she resigned in July 2011, with a pay-off reputed to be £10.8 million.

It was revealed during the Leveson inquiry that in one of the many text messages she exchanged with David Cameron, Mrs Brooks told him: “I am so rooting for you tomorrow and not just as a personal friend but because professionally we’re definitely in this together”.

December’s party was hosted by Tom Astor, a relative of the late David Astor, long serving Editor of The Observer, who was scathing about newspaper executives cosying up to politicians especially Conservative politicians. He once remarked of a rival that he “orders his politics from Central Office as if it were a commodity like newsprint”.

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• Junius

  As I understand it, David Cameron and Rebekah Brooks are near-neighbours. There is therefore nothing sinister I can see from their being seen deep in conversation at a party. But perhaps Andy McSmith can offer another perspective.

  Mrs Brooks certainly faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, but has not yet faced a jury of her peers. The presumption in this country is that a person is innocent of any charge until being found guilty, as I am sure Mr McSmith is aware.

  I do not see the relevance of the fact that December’s party was hosted by ‘Tom Astor, a relative of the late David Astor, long serving Editor of The Observer, who has in the past been scathing about newspaper executives cosying up to politicians especially Conservative politicians’, but perhaps Mr McSmith can again offer another perspective.

  Let us not forget that long after the NoW hacking scandal had broken, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls had no qualms about turning up to News International’s summer garden party, to hobnob with executives, including, presumably, Mrs Brooks, and enjoy NI’s hospitality. What does Mr McSmith make of that? Not a big deal, at a guess.

• creggancowboy

  Why doesn’t she sing as soon as she is in the witness box? Plenty of police corruption in UK to make it squeaky bum time at New Scotland Yard

• fleche_dor

  “I am so rooting for you tomorrow and not just as a personal friend but because professionally we’re definitely in this together”

  What happens should the allegations against Ms Brooks be proven? Does that mean that Mr Cameron will be interviewed by officers from Her Majesty’s Constabulary?

• JohnDSmall

  Cameron’s close relationship with the Murdoch Mafia is the one thing that makes me prefer a Labour win in the next election. Not that I’m looking forward to a Labour win, I think they’ll wreck the economy, as they always do, they’ve got no ideas beyond ’soak the rich and hand out money to our supporters’. But other than the aberration of Tony Blair they don’t have a burning desire to trash impartial news coverage and allow Faux news to addle the brains of voters.

  The foundation of civil society and a modern democracy are an informed public. While not perfect our rules regarding impartial news coverage in broadcast media, e.g the BBC, protect us from the kind of insane extremism seen in in the States. Voters here are better informed about reality.

  Since Cameron & co have bought into the idea that the Tories would be better off if highly partisan news reporting was allowed, then they have to go. Cameron has already declared his pleasure at cutting the BBC’s funding, his media team is run by Murdoch appointees in all but name, and have made it clear that they’re open to the idea of allowing partisan broadcast news coverage.

  In other words the Tories want to undermine the foundation of civil society and modern democracy.

• embrewer

  Maybe she likes being alive.

• creggancowboy

  But as the Indy constantly tells us Britain is a DEMOCRACY and a FREE country!

• embrewer

  Remember the Indy and other papers reporting what the Queen said to Diana’s burler, Paul Burrell? I bet Brooks does : ‘Be careful, Paul. No one has been as close to a member of the Royal Family as you have. There are powers at work in this country of which we have no knowledge. Do you understand?”

• creggancowboy

  A year ago I’d have poo-poohed such comments but in August 2012 I was arrested after I began investigating police corruption in England and Wales, freemasons and some dodgy stuff. ISN’T THAT A CO-INCIDENCE? Released 3 days later, without being charged!