Blair gave Murdoch 'veto' over EU, says PM's ex-aide

[muriel_volestrangler]

Tony Blair promised Rupert Murdoch that he would be consulted on any change to Britain's policy towards Europe, according to a diary kept by a former Downing Street press officer.

But the original entry in The Spin Doctor's Diary was toned down on the orders of the Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus McDonald. The original entry, published in today's Mail on Sunday, described the atmosphere in No 10 as "very edgy" after pro-euro comments by the then Secretary of State for Trade, Peter Mandelson "because we have promised News International we won't make any changes to our Europe policy without talking to them."
...
Another change imposed on Mr Price was that an entry describing Mr Blair as "relishing" ordering air strikes over Iraq in 1998 was toned down to say that he had "mixed emotions" about the first military action he had embarked on as Prime Minister. In public, he claimed to have issued the order with a "heavy heart".

The diaries suggest that the deference shown to Mr Murdoch was not matched by any great respect for the senior journalists at his biggest selling newspaper, The Sun. A diary entry for 16 March 1999 says: "Blair and Campbell went to lunch at The Sun - Alastair described it as like being at a BNP meeting."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article313480.ece

As if handing over defence policy to a strategically-shaved chimp wasn't bad enough, he hands European policy over to an American-Australian whose sole interest is making billions for himself. Biggest. Wanker. Ever.

[Melodybe]

1. i hope the Brits use this info to eviscerate Blair.

[Briar]

3. Don't count on it

We already know and it hasn't made a difference.

[T_i_B]

10. Not much chance of that...

...when it involves Blair effectively keeping us out of the Euro, and public opinion in the UK is very much hostile towards the EU (thanks in part to the Murdoch press)

[Briar]

19. Exactly n/t

[mogster]

2. I would think Murdoch is in for a bad time

That is, if the 'normalists' ever get the upper hand again in UK and the US. If you look at this person's career, he's inflicted great damage on both countries with his crappy view on journalism.

I would think this also is visible to politicians in charge. And if it isn't, they shouldn't be in charge.

This shows that Blair has given in to special interests, and doesn't put Britain first.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. What kind of treason laws

do they have in England?

I would think putting the opinion of one foreigner over the best interest of the British people would fall under that catagory?

[Reverend Smoothfield]

14. i would think so

i'm the biggest fan blair has but this is pretty disturbing. why would murdoch care that much about britain's EU policy?

[Melodybe]

6. Be glad to know that Murdoch's empire will crumble when he dies

there are so many greedy bastards work for him, that they are going to tear eachother to threads after he dies.

He has no heir to his throne, thank god.

[loudsue]

22. He has two sons, Melodybe....

At least, two that I've heard of. I don't have a link for the article I saw, and I don't have time to google it right now.

But his spawn are, evidently, every bit as bad as pop.

:kick:

[Melodybe]

25. I know, but neither son is favored to be his media heir and I read an

article about how the stock holders don't like either.

[applegrove]

4. Blair is a delusional patsy. He had no idea what he was reaping

when he got into bed with the Bush WH. If only - in this trying time - there had been adults in the WH. Instead of game-players.

[Melodybe]

7. Blair will forced out eventually

Bush hatred is at an all time high around the world, things are only getting worse for Tony.

[applegrove]

8. Will politicians ever learn that all 'hanging with bush' does is diminish

them. Saddam Hussein never let anyone else except is own patsies & cronies look or feel good. Anyone who ever dealt with him was made smaller for the experience.

[shaniqua6392]

9. How on earth did Murdoch get so much power in the U.S. A.

when he is not even an American?? As for Blair. He is a spineless wimp just like shrub. But when they have the backing of Murdoch, they get plenty of positive airtime. Shouldn't Murdoch die soon? Hope springs eternal.

[3waygeek]

26. Rupert is a US citizen

he was naturalized in 1985 back in the days when US citizenship was necessary for owners of US-based TV/radio stations.

[mrdmk]

27. Newt Gingrich gave him the green light. This is not a joke n/t

[T_i_B]

11. Blair 'relished sending British forces to war'

Here's the actual story in question, from the UK Mail on Sunday (I'll leave other DUer's to remind you of the Mail's politics)

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=362725&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=&ct=5

An explosive political row erupted last night after Downing Street tried to censor a book by one of Tony Blair's most senior former aides, revealing shocking details of how the Prime Minister runs the country.

Ex-No 10 spin doctor Lance Price has enraged Mr Blair by publishing the first-ever first-hand account of the inner workings of New Labour. And he has defied the Cabinet Secretary's attempts to prevent the publication of his devastating memoirs, The Spin Doctor's Diary, serialised in The Mail on Sunday today.

They give a blow-by-blow account of endless backbiting, tantrums and rows between senior Ministers and officials and lay bare the cynicism of Blair's team. But there are further claims which Price was told to remove from the book after intervention by the Government and which we can now reveal, including:


- That Blair appeared privately to "relish" sending British troops to war in Iraq as his "first blooding", while publicly claiming he did it "with a heavy heart".
- That the Government promised media mogul Rupert Murdoch it would not change its policy on Europe without telling him first.
- That the Prime Minister repeatedly bawled out in rage 'f****** Welsh' when an election in the principality was going against Labour.

[lockdown]

12. This is outrageous!

Can't be a real surprise to any reasonable cynic, but it's still disgusting to have confirmation. It isn't just appeasement of media power, pigs like Murdoch are the natural constituency of the corporatists who have hijacked the Labour Party. :grr:

So does Murdoch still avoid paying any tax at all in the UK nowadays (while his rags lambast parasites)? Is that partly why he doesn't want closer European ties, lest the EU make the pig pay some? Only little people pay taxes of course..

And Blair relished dropping bombs on Iraqis... I relish the day that bastard is held to account, on the streets of Tikrit hopefully.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. So does this mean that Murdoch is the real PM

and Blair is just his puppet? That makes Bush and Murdoch. I guess he really likes being people's bitches. Maybe there should be a mass campaign to send him cartons of Vaseline.

[anotherdrew]

16. yes, blair promised murdock stuff in return for good coverage

They've been in bed together since before day 1. Info on that in some old article about the millennium dome, but I can't remember where I read it.

[progressivebydesign]

15. Why is Blair still in office? I haven't figured that out.

He seems pretty unpopular, and has been openly lampooned as Bush's poodle, yet he's still there. Why?

[anotherdrew]

17. I don't get it either, it's possible for labor t o elect a new PM

why they haven't I do not know. Anyone with more insight into british politics able to explain why this hasn't happened?

[lockdown]

18. Because most Labour MPs

are nothing more than spineless flunkies. Basically.

[T_i_B]

31. Because prior to this years election

he held a landslide majority, and the main opposition are the Conservative Party, who are every bit as right wing.

[JohnyCanuck]

20. Too bad the Brits won't arrest and prosecute

the war criminal in 10 Downing St. before they worry about Israeli war criminals.

[reprobate]

21. Too bad the Yanks won't arrest and prosecute the war criminal at 1600

Pennsylvania Ave.

[JohnyCanuck]

23. I agree. n/t

[AX10]

24. Labour is a good party and that's why it's sad...

that Blair is leading them. He cost them 45 seats. Blair should resign.

[newspeak]

28. rupert is league with Saudis

I think it was Rawstory, that stated the Saudis have invested in Rupert's media empire. Anybody know about this?

[newspeak]

29. too tired

that's "Rupert in league with Saudis". As the night wears on, my erros increase.

[anitar1]

30. Did anyone read the link and then go to the right to see

the other stories? Such as the one that reported "Blair tells Murdoch gloating BBC is full of hatred for America". If one reads this , one will see that Bill Clinton was quoted. I would advise all of you to read the quote and draw your own conclusions.