Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman on: Police inquiry, Iraq and Media Reporting on the frontline
Police inquiry
Asked whether the Prime Minister had been interviewed by the police, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) replied that nothing had changed from this morning when the question had been asked again.
Iraq
Put that Reuters had been quoting that US Defence officials had said that the British Army was at breaking point in Iraq, and that there was a timetable of withdrawal of British troops in 12 months time, the PMS said that she had not seen that particular report. However, she pointed the journalist to what the Prime Minister had said at PMQs earlier in the day when he had set out very clearly again the UK’s position on Iraq and that that remained unchanged.
Media Reporting on the frontline
Asked by ITN whether Sir Gus O’Donnell thought it was appropriate that major news organisations should be banned from war zones as the MOD did not like their contribution, the PMS replied that the MOD was dealing with this issue, and regarding any correspondence, with Sir Gus O’Donnell, he would reply on his own behalf.
Asked what Sir Gus O’Donnell’s view was, the PMS said that people should check that with his office.
Asked what the Prime Minister’s view was, the PMS replied that Sir Gus O’Donnell’s view was for Sir Gus O’Donnell to express. The MOD and Sir Gus O’Donnell’s office were dealing with this issue.
Put that the Prime Minister could have gone further today in PMQs regarding Terry Lloyd’s alleged killers and their extradition, and the Attorney General’s role, was the Prime Minister pressing for an early resolution, the PMS said that as the Prime Minister had set out at PMQs, it was not appropriate for him to get into a discussion about these matters, and was therefore not appropriate for her to do so either.
Put by the Daily Telegraph that some people appeared to be blaming the media, and there did not appear to be much sympathy for either the media and what they were doing, or if they got shot at doing it, the PMS said that she certainly did not recognise either of the descriptions put forward. The PMS reminded the journalist that the Prime Minister had of course expressed his sympathy and condolences regarding the death of Terry Lloyd at today’s PMQs
Asked if the Prime Minister believed that the media should be out on the front line reporting independently, or did he believe that they should be reporting what the Government told them, the PMS said that we believed in a free media in this country.
Asked if that meant Iraq as well, the PMS replied: yes. The PMS reminded the journalist that under Saddam Hussein’s regime, there was no such thing as a free media, and under the newly elected democratic Government in Iraq, there was such a thing.
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