11 June 2002 – There are times when a sense of humour is the only protection against madness. Take the case of the Prime Minister’s complaint to the PCC against three national newspapers which we reported in our Bulletin of April 28. The papers had alleged (shock, horror) that Mr Blair had prevailed upon a civil servant to approach Black Rod with a view to getting himself more prominence at the lying-in-state of the Queen Mother. They had, they said, impeccable sources – which they were (quite rightly) not prepared to reveal. Downing Street denied all.

As we said at the time, this put the Press Complaints Commission in a tricky position. An adjudication in favour of the newspapers, the Evening Standard, The Spectator, and the Mail on Sunday, would effectively label the Prime Minister a liar. Not a politically wise move. On the other hand, to rule the other way would offend the PCC’s core constituency, accusing them in effect of making the whole thing up.

Lord Wakeham, one suspects, would have fudged the whole thing in a trice. And now Professor Pinker has shown himself a worthy (if temporary) successor. The solution, couched in prose of impenetrable blandness, is that there will be no solution: the complaint has been withdrawn.

Does this mean that the press can claim a victory? Has Mr Blair thrown in the towel and admitted the offence? Well no, not quite. Examination of the correspondence between the Professor Pinker and Alastair Cambell – which the PCC, to its great credit, has published on its excellent website – discloses a more subtle situation. It transpires that Mr Blair’s sole concern was to deny any personal involvement in the telephone calls, though it was admitted that these had taken place. And since the editors concerned were unable to pin the tail on this particular donkey, and the PCC was unable to prove anything either way, it was agreed to forget the whole thing.

So who did instruct the loyal civil servants at No. 10 to telephone Black Rod? Or did they act on their own initiative? We may never know, and it may not be wise to enquire further, for our e-mails (including this one) are now closely watched by the Powers That Be. Better to relax and laugh at the whole imbroglio. Elsewhere, madness lies.

Bill Norris
Associate Director

(Bulletin No 66)