Not surprising that the Observer chooses to lead with the story of Jonothan Aitken's rehabilitation into public life
Disgraced Aitken in key new Tory role
It was after all the Guardian group and its then editor Peter Preston who bore the brunt of the former cabinet ministers
the simple sword of truth and the trusty shield of British fair play'
The swaggering politician was brought abruptly down to earth when the paper discovered that he has lied about his wife paying the bill for a trip to the Paris Ritz and had forced his daughter to lie as well.
Peter Preston recalls
Jonathan was a very senior Tory and Treasury minister. He might even have been one of the passing leaders doing a brisk turn since John Major's departure. But he chose to resign and then sue the Guardian for libel, waving what he called his 'sword of truth'. But that sword was made of cardboard. It was one of the 20th century's most dramatic libel cases. It was also an acrid farce.
And with a word of caution
But until we know everything about his travels, and not just how he strayed down one local libel path, then the redemption road back ought to stop with a hoarse laugh several feet short of Central Office. Finding God and a renewed public role is one thing; finding out the whole truth rather another. Couldn't he have been told to do I'm a Celebrity, get me out of Here first?
No comments:
Post a Comment