Phone revelations are ‘wicked beyond contempt’
The former director of communications at Downing Street accused the police force, News International — the parent company of the News Of The World — and politicians of running away from the situation.
He also said the first police investigation was a complete joke: “They completely bought the line that it was all the work of one rogue reporter — they must have known this was not true. They have had evidence of this systematic industrial phone hacking for some time and this stuff is only coming out now. How have the police not found this out before?”
Speaking on RTÉ radio, Campbell said News International are engaging in a practical ploy by focusing on past events in an attempt to shift the focus from recent revelations.
“They are trying to make this about [former News Of The World editor] Andy Coulson and the police rather than these new, grave allegations. It shows their ruthlessness. Coulson, who they stood by for so long, now appears to be thrown to the wolves.”
Campbell said a public enquiry, which has been promised by Prime Minister David Cameron, needs to look closely at every media organisation and their practices.
“The problem of phone hacking will not go away until the government decides to make a clean burst of it. The previous investigations have not uncovered things now being exposed, so why should people have confidence in that kind of enquiry?” Campbell asked.
Cameron hired Coulson as director of communications last year. Campbell said the prime minister’s judgement in hiring him, despite knowing he had been accused of involvement in phone hacking before, may be an issue.
Current News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks has claimed she knew nothing about the phone hacking operations. Campbell said it is well known that Cameron is friendly with Brooks and News International chairman Rupert Murdoch, which will put the prime minister in a very difficult position.
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