Whatever the rights or wrongs of the case of Andy Coulson, there is a concerted effort by the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party to 'nobble' the communications guru who has played such a role in turning around the media fortunes of the Conservatives. The unified campaign could infer that both parties find their electoral success savaged by the rise of the Conservatives and realpolitik is now overriding principle. Such a possibility also explains the turn by Clegg towards attacking the Tories rather than Labour.
Today we saw Cameron doorstopped by Charles Clarke in what was supposed to be a symbolic attack upon his integrity. Chris Huhne has asked the Independent Police Complaints Commission to determine whether the conclusion of the Metropolitan Police in keeping the prosecution of the News of the World closed was unlawful. The hysteria from Labour is palpable and foolish:
Former minister Dennis Mac-Shane called
for a Commons inquiry and Labour MP Anne Clwyd said Mr Coulson should
be stripped of his House of Commons pass.
She claimed: 'None of us on the Labour benches can feel comfortable while this man is allowed to wander the corridors.'
Tonight, it is doubtful that the story will remain focused on the Tory party. The news media have undertaken dubious practices for many years and are unwilling to pursue this story. Already, it is degenerating into a spat between News International and the Guardian. If Coulson survives his appearance before the Culture Select Committee on Tuseday, then an attack designed to undermine Cameron will have failed and Ruper Murdoch will be seeking vengeance on the socialist parties that crossed him.
