David Blunkett Says His Phone Was Hacked: Good If It Was
ONLY the Independent leads with news that David Blunkett believes his mobile phone’s voicemails were hacked by journalists while he was Home Secretary.
The Indy reminds readers that the Home Office “is one of the most sensitive government departments”.
To further hammer in the point home that Blunkett was privy to top secrets that he, er, may have mentioned on his mobile phone’s voicemail, the Indy goes on:
The suggestion that a serving cabinet minister – whose responsibilities included the oversight of MI5 and sensitive operations against Islamic terror groups – was having his voicemails intercepted is one of the most alarming yet in the scandal over the tactics of some sections of the British press.
Phone hacking is illegal. But is this alleged incident really alarming? You might be more alarmed at the behaviour of Blunkett when he held office. You may recall that he was having an affair with married American Kimberley (Fortier) Quinn:
The disclosure in August 2004 of Mr Blunkett’s relationship with Mrs Quinn – which had begun in 2001 and, according to friends, had developed to the point that the minister believed she was going to leave her husband – created a media storm as rival newspapers scrambled to uncover details of the couple’s doomed affair and evidence to back up claims that he had misused his position.
And:
Mrs Quinn’s adulterous relationship was of interest not just to News International titles and its disclosure led to a flurry of newspaper activity after it emerged that she was pregnant with her second child and allegations surfaced about the immigration status of her Filipina nanny, Leoncia Casalme.
You may also recall this from Anorak in 2004:
The Independent reports that, at the time of her affair with the former Home Secretary, Kimberly Quinn was also having it off with Hoggart, the wine correspondent on the Spectator magazine. Hoggart is, perhaps, better known as a columnist for the Guardian.
So. What alarms you more:
A) Journalist hacking into mobile phone voicemails to out secrets?
B) Top politicos, allegedly, abusing their position?
C) Journalists snuggling up to the elite?
Posted: 7th, February 2011 | In: Politicians Comments (5) | TrackBack | Permalink
