A colleague has gone through the messages posted on the Sun’s website by its readers. Earlier this afternoon they broke 60-40 in favour of the prime minister.
No.10 claims it’s been inundated with supportive messages, not something it is often in a position to say.
In her interview today Jacqui Janes says that there was no member of the Sun team present when she picked up the prime minister’s call at 10pm on Sunday and that it was her neighbour’s partner’s idea to record the phone once she put it on hands free.
She implies that it was her Ministry of Defence casualty visiting officer who passed on her mobile number to No.10.
She says she has been upset by accusations circulating that she may have accepted payment from the Sun. The paper says it will be making a donation to a forces charity on her behalf.
She says the letter from Gordon Brown arrived on 19 October and it was one Sunday after that that she decided to contact the Sun about it.
It would take a lot to shake some in No.10 from the view that they’ve been set up by the Sun, but given Mrs Janes’s words in the interview they’d probably be wise not to pursue that.
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Commentsoldest first
Watching the story and listening to the tape this evening on C4 News, I found the whole business sickening. I don’t feel that way very often when watching the programme…
Why go straight to a national newspaper, and why-on-earth go to The Sun? Is her ‘neighbour’s partner’ in any way connected to The Sun?
More pertinently, how would her brave son have felt about this shoddy tale?
[...] Was the Sun behind the Brown phone recording? – [...]
Seems like it’s the government trying to stitch up The Sun.
aye taught Girdun wote e viry muvinge letar,und peeple shud leaf im aloon,butt im werried aboot im signin eny treety’s !!
Did the Washington Post stitch up Nixon?
Who suggested Mark Felt pass the information to the paper? The Sun had every right to break the story.That is what a free media does.
Sad situation where the PM acted in good faith, and obviously thought a hand written letter would strike a more personal chord than any other. unfortunately it seems to have backfired on him. Who advised the mother to go to the Sun with all this, obviously someone out to exploit her and Mr Brown. Shameful for them and the paper. Full marks to the PM for his good intentions.
I thought the lady was well informed, articulate and very able to express her disappointment at the tone of both letter and phone call. GB’s first response to everything seems to be denial and it was only when she saw him at the press conference that Mrs Janes accepted that – perhaps at last- he was sorry.I note that the noble Lord M has pontificated on the topic – didn’t seem to bother him when the paper was New Labour’s cheer leader.
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