Ed’s inbox – July 4th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

If Ed Miliband could only read five blogposts each day, he’d read these ones…

Former NOTW editor survived after Cameron intervened with Murdoch – Political Scrapbook
By Political Scrapbook

While revelations around phone hacking have furrowed brows across the political and media establishment, the latest revelations truly merit the appellation of “shocking”. An investigation by the Guardian has revealed that The News Of The World hacked into the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and deleting messages – leading friends and relatives to believe she was still alive.

And who was NOTW editor at the time of acts described as “heinous” and “despicable” by Dowler’s father – step forward News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks! Despite her proximity to the hacking scandal, the flame-haired hack managed to survive after Rupert Murdoch abandoned plans to pension her off due to a personal intervention by David Cameron on Brooks’ behalf. – Read more.

A new low for the News of the World – The Staggers
By George Eaton

The revelation that the tabloid hacked Milly Dowler’s phone could be a tipping point in the scandal.

The grim news that Milly Dowler’s phone was hacked by the News of the World could be a tipping point in the scandal. It represents a new low for the tabloid and gives the lie to the claim that only publicity hungry celebrities were targeted.

Not only did the paper’s reporters illegally hack Dowler’s voice mail, they subsequently deleted messages left on her phone (in order to access more), leading her family to mistakenly believe that she was still alive. As the Guardian notes: – Read more.

Is Ronald Reagan respected on these shores? – Liberal Conspiracy
By Dave Osler

Spitting Image – a widely-watched satirical television show of the 1980s – famously suggested that Ronald Reagan fancied Margaret Thatcher something rotten. ‘What a fine lookin’ woman,’ the punch line to one particularly celebrated latex puppet sketch ran. ‘Pity I’m only screwing her country.’

Despite the juvenile invocation of sexist witticism beneath even the dignity of the average smutty schoolboy, the gag was widely repeated, precisely because it did seem to encapsulate the state of the special relationship. Not for nothing, either, did Labour politician Denis Healey’s jibe that Thatcher was ‘Reagan’s poodle’ score a direct hit. – Read more.

Here’s to Reagan: his kind light up our political world – Left Foot Forward
By Anthony Painter

In the hit 1985 time-travel blockbuster Back to the Future the veracity of Marty McFly’s claims to be from the future are tested by a doubting Dr Emmett Brown:

Emmett Brown: “Then tell me, “Future Boy”, who’s President in the United States in 1985?”

Marty McFly: “Ronald Reagan.”

Emmett Brown: “Ronald Reagan? The actor? [chuckles in disbelief] Then who’s VICE-President? Jerry Lewis? I suppose Jane Wyman is the First Lady! And Jack Benny is Secretary of the Treasury!”

And much of the world still has the same attitude. It is as unbelievable that Ronald Reagan could be president as the suggestion that George W Bush could be. That says more about us than him. Reagan was president. And he was successful. – Read more.

The govt must swallow its pride and adapt to the Arab spring – Labour Uncut
By Michael Dugher

The foreign secretary, William Hague, has said that the impact of the Arab spring is potentially greater in significance than even the attacks of 9/11. After 9/11, Labour in government produced a “new chapter” to the 1998 defence review, precisely to face up to the shifting strategic landscape and emerging threats to the UK. A new chapter to the 2010 SDSR is desperately needed today. This would bring the review up to date and make a full assessment of the impact of the Arab spring on UK security. As Jim Murphy has said: “It’s not about looking backwards, but about turning hindsight into foresight.”

Lord Levene’s more managerial review into MoD reform was published last week. As far as it goes, it is good. Labour welcomed many of its recommendations. Indeed, Bob Ainsworth, Kevan Jones and others deserve much of the credit, as several ideas in the report stem from the defence green paper, adaptability and partnership, which the previous Labour government produced in February 2010. As the official opposition, it is as much our responsibility to support the government when its proposals are right as to oppose when they get things wrong. – Read more.