Andy Coulson arrested over hacking

[oldironside]

"Former Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson was arrested today on suspicion of phone hacking and corruption.

The 43-year-old ex-editor of the News of the World was held at a south London police station this morning, sources said.

The arrest piles further pressure on the Prime Minister, who gave him a job at No 10 despite his association with the scandal.

The widely-anticipated arrest is the latest bombshell in a catastrophic week for News International chiefs, who announced they were shutting the Sunday tabloid because it had betrayed its readers' trust.

A Scotland Yard statement said: "The MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) has this morning arrested a member of the public in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/andy-coulson-arrested-over-hacking-2309114.html

I honestly never thought it would come to this. I'm really starting to think we are seeing a sea change in British politics. It's now the Murdoch empire that's scared of the next revelation.

To quote John Motson: "This is getting better and better and better!"

[LeftishBrit]

1. Glad to hear that at least one of the big fish has been arrested

And I hope it brings lots of embarrassment to Cameron.

Even I have been startled at what Our Real Rulers (the tabloid press) have been getting away with. I keep thinking of Watergate; and at least the Watergate conspirators didn't bug absolutely *everyone*, including the families of dead soldiers and murdered children.

[fedsron2us]

2. It is the US where Murdoch will ultimately be broken

He is viewed as an interloper and an unwelcome outsider by many in US politics and the media

No surprise that the established US news networks (CBS, NBC and ABC) are going for him now.

I would watch whether anyone starts taking an interest in the New York Post since it is one of Murdochs US tabloids that is closest in style to the NOTW and is known to have cultivated 'sources' in law enforcement much like its UK counterpart. Should anyone get a handle on similar activities by Murdochs US outlets particularly with regard to hacking the phones of the US war dead and their families then Rupert could be in some really serious shit.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. And glad to hear it's for corruption as well as hacking

The corruption is the more serious offence; and would be more likely, IMO, to affect the BSkyB takeover. And if proved, it also catches the corrupt policemen, who need to go whatever happens to Murdoch's setup.