Andrew MacKay MP told local paper ‘nothing in expenses stood out’ May 14, 2009
Posted by Jonathan Hewett in : Journalism, News, Newspapers, reporting , 1 comment so farSpot the contrast:
Andrew MacKay tells his local paper:
I have checked through all my expense claims over the past four years and there is nothing that stands out – I am confident there is nothing unreasonable in there at all.
Andrew MacKay resigns as Cameron’s aide, the BBC reporting that:
he now realised the arrangement did not pass Mr Cameron’s “reasonableness” test and he felt it was “wrong” to remain in his position.
Does it come down to what is “reasonable”?
Mr MacKay and his wife claimed second homes allowances on two separate properties, with Mr MacKay saying they had done so “for eight or nine years”.
Nick Robinson: ‘I got too close to government in reporting Iraq’ October 9, 2008
Posted by Jonathan Hewett in : Journalism, News, blogging, journalism education, reporting , 1 comment so farThe BBC’s political editor regrets:
The biggest self-criticism I have was [that] I got too close to government in the reporting of the Iraq war. I didn’t do enough to go away and say ‘well hold on, what about the other side?’ It is the one moment in my recent career where I have thought I didn’t push hard enough, I didn’t question enough and I should have been more careful.
Robinson offered this candid self-assessment in a debate on political campaigners and reporters at City University last night — as reported by one of my journalism students, Michael Haddon, for journalism.co.uk, and on his own blog. Michael also wrote about Iain Dale’s comments on political reporting (and on his blog).
As for the government line on weapons of mass destruction, Robinson said:
I don’t think the government did set out to lie about weapons of mass destruction. I do think they systematically and cumulatively misled people.
What’s the distinction? It was clear to me that Alastair Campbell knew how what he was saying was being reported, knew that that was a long way from the truth, and was content for it so to be. They knew it was wrong, they wanted it to be wrong – they haven’t actually lied.
Footnote to Michael and someone at Journalism.co.uk: check spelling — it’s Alastair not Alistair (corrected in quote above). Bring back the subs!