“I don’t remember, I don’t recall”

The lyrics of Peter Gabriel’s song are particularly appropriate for the Leveson Inquiry proceedings. It is quite remarkable just how often selective amnesia strikes our political elite. Every time the questioning gets a little close to home out trots the ‘I don’t recall’ refrain. This from the bastards who took us to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and who were looking to grease the Murdoch wheels. Alistair Campbell, an otherwise impressive witness, suddenly developed dementia when the dodgy dossier and weapons of mass destruction reared their heads. Crystal clear about virtually everything else but on this doozy.....

Today the disease struck Cameron when asked whether he discussed the character of Andy Coulson with Rebekah Brooks. [Cartoonist Steve Bell nailed Coulson this morning, describing him as ‘Shifty the shithouse rat.”- allegedly!] A text from Rebekah to Cameron before a conference speech said, “they were in this together” which will not be a comfortable thought for him as she and her co-accused work their way through the legal process. 

Campbell and Cameron have not been alone in the dementia ward. They have had plenty of company. 

By way of contrast there is John Major who quite clearly rebutted Murdoch’s bullshit that “He never sought to influence anyone,” when he told of being threatened at a small dinner party. He remembered that very, very well as he said, “It is not every day a Prime Minister is threatened.”

An ex-Secretary of the Labour party has just been on the World at One saying there are more important and urgent matters to deal with than Leveson. In this he is joined by several Tory toerags who wish the whole thing would just quietly go away. One Tory with a difference is Norman Fowler who said this issue goes to the heart of our democracy. What Leveson has revealed is the extent of corruption at the top of our society. If Peter Watt and his Tory toerag chums are sanguine about that then it tells you all you need to know about him and them.

"I don't remember, I don't recall,

I got no memory of anything at all"

Thanks to Steve Bell for keeping us sane.