Madeleine McCann's Parents Queuing up to Give Evidence at Leveson Inquiry

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/06/phone-hacking-levseon-inquiry-live

11.43am: Meanwhile over at the Leveson inquiry, my colleague Josh Halliday reports public figures including Madeleine McCann's parents are queuing up to give evidence.

Well if they wish to jump on this rickety bandwagon l suggest they offer some irrefutable evidence that they were hacked in the first place.

Because no-one but the McCanns has yet said they were involved.

(Thanks quickfingers)

That's exactly what I was thinking Margaret

But if they weren't hacked, why weren't they hacked? That in itself is strange. IMO.


Everyone else from Sara Payne to Steve Coogan to Sky presenters was being hacked. Anyone that the public had the slightest bit of interest in - and we all know how good the McCann family have been for newspaper sales, don't we?

They certainly do need to be able to back their claims. But then again, they claimed that Madeleine was abducted with no evidence to support this. When exactly are they claiming their phones were hacked. If it was before 3 May then why would you hack the phone of a two-bit GP and her self appreciating husband. If it was after then maybe they have something to worry about. Didn't JT say hers had been got at as well?

A couple more thoughts....

Firstly, we had the likes of Ulrika Johnnson on telly saying she'd had a phone call from SY telling her she had been hacked and other celebrities too told of being phoned that they were involved. NO WAY do l believe the Mcs have had such a call yet as they wouldn't be able to keep it quiet!

Secondly, the longer we hear silence from SY about the Mcs and phone hacking l am pleased because it tells me the police refuse to let the Mcs in on this knowledge, ergo.... the investigation has already got suspicion falling on the Mcs and SY won't be giving them the chance to play victim anymore.

ETA: Even more hopefully what hacking info they've got forms some part of evidence.

It is curious Wallflower. I was just reading this :

http://blog.larmani.com/2011/07/phone-hacking-mccanns.html

Sunday, 31 July 2011
Phone hacking & the McCanns
So, although the McCanns were not phone hacking victims, despite Madeleines face being used on many reports, there are still questions to be asked of their spokesman Clarence (who appears to be desperately keen to be a victim of phone hacking). Something doesn't sit right - using Madeleines picture alongside Milly Dowlers is clearly an amateurish attempt to associate known victims of the hacking scandal with the McCanns. Identifying the person who arranged this positioning to take place would be very useful to anyone investigating any links with hacking-exposed corruption between the state and the media.

The question which occurs to me is this, why were the McCanns not of interest to News International reporters? Why was there no appetite for investigating the McCanns, yet there was such an appetite in the case of a murdered schoolgirl and indeed in the case of Sarah Payne?

I'm wondering if they are scared witless and are just trying to find out IF they were hacked.

Sky News have this on the ticker as Breaking News!

There is something in The Times about them bringing in lawyers too http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/ I am not a subscriber so can't read the article. Maybe someone else here is?

wjk wrote:Sky News have this on the ticker as Breaking News!

Yes just saw that! Something like' Mccann parents say they want to take part in judicial inquiry into phone hacking'

chrissie wrote:I'm wondering if they are scared witless and are just trying to find out IF they were hacked.

Chrissie, I am sure they are scared witless about who's heard what of their calls. Although I agree with you that there does seem to have been an order from on high in News International to lay off the McCanns.....

Even if they themselves were not being hacked directly, if some of their Tapas friends were then it's very possible tht something embarrassing and incriminating was overheard and recorded.

And it's hardly just the press that the fragrant duo have to worry about is it? In the case of an abduction/kidnap the police tap phones of the family AS A MATTER OF COURSE. Not to do so would be highly negligent. Any true victims would be grateful and relieved that this was being done. I am sure tha through these means, t the PJ know a huge deal about the McCanns which the McCanns would prefer them not to know.

I can´t for the life of me thinkof what that couple can say to the Leveson inquiry, they haven't even been hacked but I guess that they have to jump of the band wagon and keep themselves in the spotlight.

chrissie wrote:

wjk wrote:Sky News have this on the ticker as Breaking News!

Yes just saw that! Something like' Mccann parents say they want to take part in judicial inquiry into phone hacking'

I wonder if it's pointless to try and find an actual logical explanation for some of their behaviour? They are just addicted to the limelight, it seems and have major delusions of grandeur.

chrissie wrote:

wjk wrote:Sky News have this on the ticker as Breaking News!

Yes just saw that! Something like' Mccann parents say they want to take part in judicial inquiry into phone hacking'

Yes, it's on there now.

Again, they must have some evidence because the panel will rip them to shreds. Louise Mensch and Tom Watson have seen enough tweets about the Mcs. They will not be a pushover.

chrissie wrote:

wjk wrote:Sky News have this on the ticker as Breaking News!

Yes just saw that! Something like' Mccann parents say they want to take part in judicial inquiry into phone hacking'

They "want to take part"? Do they think this is another of Simon Cowell's tacky game shows?

What they want and what they get may be two very different things. It'll be interesting to see what (the Scouser) Lord Justice Leveson decides!

It says that various people are 'applying' to give evidence at the enquiry. So I guess that individual cases will be assessed before appearing.

The McCanns are probably desperate to find out what the police have on them in relation to the phone hacking by NOTW and they must believe that if they are to give evidence they will be able to see the files.

quickfingers wrote:http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=47818&c=1

Thanks for that quickfingers. It says the McCanns want to be core participants:

Lord Justice Leveson said "core participant" status would give people the right to be legally represented, cross-examine witnesses and make opening and closing statements.

So they want their legal representation whereas they could have contributed to the inquiry without this. Interesting.....

No doubt they will want to be centre stage, and question people who are appearing there.

chrissie wrote:

quickfingers wrote:http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=47818&c=1

Thanks for that quickfingers. It says the McCanns want to be core participants:

Lord Justice Leveson said "core participant" status would give people the right to be legally represented, cross-examine witnesses and make opening and closing statements.

So they want their legal representation whereas they could have contributed to the inquiry without this. Interesting.....

Interesting indeed..... sounds like they're desperate to find out IF they were hacked, and to what extent. Christ they must be absolutely cacking it. This is the most desperate thing they've ever done - and that's saying something.

Sky just said its not just phone hacking victims but also those who have been unfairly treated by the Press who will be core participants and the latter includes the McCanns. They and their legal team will get the opportunity to cross examine everyone including other witnesses.

quickfingers wrote:Sky just said its not just phone hacking victims but also those who have been unfairly treated by the Press who will be core participants and the latter includes the McCanns. They and their legal team will get the opportunity to cross examine everyone including other witnesses.

They just might regret this.