91Èȱ¬

Are you seriously saying that if one MP was recorded saying another wasn't fit for purpose, especially when the latter was under pressure from many quarters for failing in their job, that this wouldn't be front page news? I don't believe that for a second; this would've been top item on the 91Èȱ¬ news. Surely the very fact we're discussing it here proves the point?

I agree Nick. I think Rory Bremner does some wicked takes on politics, but I could not see any value in this at all.

To pull the stunt in the first place was cheap and sly.
To then use the results for gratuitous self publicity was sad, especially as the content was thin as gruel.

Even worse was having to watch several minutes of Andrew Marr's programme on Sunday devoted to presenting the topic as a "humorous" insight into political thinking

As you point out, in other circumstances such actions could have been construed as illegal.

I think Rory is bright enough, funny enough and intelligent enough to give us a welcome and valuable sceptical view of politics without resorting to weak juvenile publicity- mongering

This is why all common sense has been consigned to the rubbish bin, it is consistant with the calibre of politicians today, and not one of those standing is suitable for the job of Deputy Primeminister, and worse of all this country could not survive Gordon Brown we have become a nation of appeasers.

I agree, Margaret Beckett's reputation is untouched by this, but Rory Bremner has really not come out of it well. I admire him for having stayed right in the government's face, particularly over Iraq, but also Trident, and the New Labour culture in general.

He is possibly the most important satirical voice in the UK, and this cheap prank just degrades his other work. It wasn't a legitimate attack, it was a sneering ploy to embarrass people for the sake of it. It seemed petty and vindictive, and utterly beneath him.

Bremner has a responsibility to use his obvious talent and well-earned platform to do something meaningful and reach more people through satire than comment pages or po-faced pundits ever do.

His petulant attempts to justify his prank on Sunday AM didn't help. Admit it was a stupid prank, stop trying to imply there was a deeper integrity to what you were doing, and carry on doing what you're best at.

No, not the most sensational of stories but unprofessional nevertheless.

The worrying thing is the ease of which someone can obtain information from our foreign secretary. Perhaps the story would have been more entertaining if Bremner had been more unscrupulous and obtained all the dirt on one of our Middle Eastern ambassadors.

What he said was true...it was like a safe door had swung open. He just didn't take the contents.

I did wonder when reading this story how it could possibly be relevent now, and even two years ago I doubt that the "revelations" would have been that shocking.

Spot on as ever Nick. My heart sank when air time was given to the prankster Mr Bremner on Sunday AM yesterday.

Don't get me wrong, I think a satirical look at politics and politicians is an important aspect of a mature and democratic society. I just think that pretending to be someone else to catch one of them out is taking it too far.

Would we want this done to us? Of course not.

By all means question our politicians through satire but don't be under hand about it.

Simon, Oxford

Nick, You have absolutely no idea what grabs the imagination of the public.

I don't know how you got this job when the infinitely better and more clued up Martha Kearney was in the frame.

'Nothing to see here..' You will have to do better than that, Mr Robinson...

Bedd Gelert seems to have mistaken him/herself for "the public".

Nick is quite right. Bremner is a great satirist and impressionist but has let himself down here. He has allowed his (understandable) contempt for New Labour to cloud his judgement. Get back to the satire, Rory, and stop behaving like Jon Culshaw doing Tom Baker.

Nick

It is not the comments that are the story. The story is that if she were asked to go in the public record none of these comments would have been considered. The truth would have been subverted for gloss and spin. That is the reality of the past ten years and I would have thought that a seasoned commentator as yourself might have noted that.

^ Oooh, someone's got out the wrong side.

Nick's reaction is entirely in line with a public that are tired of cheap shots and want a more substantial debate on important issues.

Besides, hasn't this "joke" been done before? Bremner can't even claim originality...

This government really is an open goal for (serious) investigative reporters, commentators and comedians.

Worse still we are having to endure a behind the scenes battle between vanity and ambition for the top job whilst a pathetically weak cabinet manoeuvre for position/survival. Can it really be said that either of the principal parties are motivated by what they can do for the British people? I think not.

Who, in their right minds, could think that this is an appropriate way to run a country? Especially this (once) great country.

Please, Nick, hold them to account - we can't, you can.

You would expect someone at Margaret Beckett's level to be more difficult to fool. But maybe it's a tribute to Rory Bremner's genius that she didn't spot the difference, even though she must have spent thousands of hours of her life listening intently and reverentially to Gordon Brown's voice.

But I actually think she is right. It was a cheap and underhand trick and I think slightly less of Rory as a result of it. We can be proud of the freedoms we have in this country, but that doesn't mean we are justified in abusing them.

Nick,

I'm no fan of Rory Bremner, but I did find the revelations interesting. It might be 2 years ago, and it may have been an invasion of privacy, but it is certainly newsworthy.

I found it more newsworthy than your "out of the frying pan" news piece for example. I found it more interesting than "quirky" (read "waste of time") Early Day Motions put forward by MPs.

I know that MPs gossip - but its nice to get one caught on tape! Are you telling me you won't listen to it when its posted online?! Also, most of your material comes from MPs gossip, so don't tell me its of no interest.

Ps - Your blog is generally excellent, I'm just feeling argumentative today.

Nick, I have been critical of you many times and don't often agree with you, but on this, I think you're totally on the money.

Rory Bremner has a tv programme to promote. If this tape was really that newsworthy, he'd have let us know about it long ago. He's a comedian (apparently), not a journalist, so in pulling a stunt like this, he gets around any of the normal constraints that journalist would be under, but still gets his story (?) written up as if it was a genuine scoop.

Like Nick says, everyone is going to clash or disapprove personally at times of the people they work with. I wouldn't like any private conversations I have about some of my colleagues outside of work to be publicised. Regardless of what party the Foreign Secretary represents, its unrealistic and absurd to imagine that politicians are any different in this regard.

By setting up these ridiculously high expectations that politicians should be immune of normal people's foibles ignores the fact that they are essentially normal people. This approach feeds the unhealthy cynicism we now have about a lot of public service. I think its Rory Bremner who should be more ashamed of himself, rather than Margaret Beckett.

I agree with you Nick, Rory Bremner has a god given talent and we need the likes of him for political satire but on this occasion he got it wrong.

Instead of duping Margaret Beckett what he should have done is to dupe Tony Blair (shouldn't be hard) and get him to "open the safe" on the lies he told to parliament and the country for the reasons for going to war in Iraq, now that would make the news headlines.

Many people think there are security issues here, e.g. how easy it was to contact Beckett. WRONG. These are OUR MPs. Voted for by the public, they are accountable to the public and SHOULD be contactable by the public. If an MP or gives away information - the security issue/gap is with the idiot MP. Good man Mr Bremner for exposing this and it should make the news.

Nick, surely the importance of the story is that it confirms to us what commentators like you are telling us. The Blairite and the Brownite factions and all their manouverings. In party people like Margaret Beckett will use every opportunity to appear to be of value to those who she considers to be in power and will similarly try to minimise the threat of people like Patricia Hewitt and Stephen Byers who could undermine her own position. More calls like this and you could have less to comment on!

The point is not what was said but that it was. The fact that politicians cant say what they think to the public is an indictment on politics. It just shows that politicians dont say what they think and will say want they dont believe to get by. It's a far cry from,

"Clement Attlee is a modest man who has a good deal to be modest about."

Winston Churchill

I do not understand how Nick Robinson can be the 91Èȱ¬'s chief political correspondence. There is nothing whatsoever of merit in his piece - as usual.

When this story first broke, I thought it was the current affairs version of reality television. Being disruptive and rude is one way of getting attention, but no better than some street hood or terrorist. Given that, the question of blue versus white collar crime emerges. Like asset stripping private equity firms, and the licensed robbery of high street banks, how is it that big media executives can get away with sanctioning this?

As a society, I think, we’ve all become a little scattered, and too much competitive behaviour has tested the rules to the point where they’re difficult to see, bad characters are addicted to it, and anyone who plays fair looks like a loser. Mostly, people have a good sense of what’s useful and kind. As Nicks comment suggests, the unintended consequence is that this does help demonstrate that other people are just like ourselves.

In the same way I’d like to see people of different races and beliefs get on the same page, I’d like to see those at the top and bottom do the same. A CEO of a Blue Chip company is no better for their position than someone less fortunate. Better shared goals, integrity, and reality is helpful, and with some care the present difficulties with business, politics, and society can be sidestepped and allow something better to emerge.

It's all very well saying that this is a non-story, but Nick's still covering it and passing comment. Why not go and investigate a real story instead? Loans for Lordships and the Smith Institute scandals were both stories broken by other people... Nick should get back to digging out the stories that they don't want us to hear.

Yes, it was pretty tawdry stuff. And even going so far as to say she said Patricia Hewitt was out of her depth is pushing it.

But it's the time in which we live - flim flam is all the rage, driven by the need to have the next "breaking news" banner.

If its not in any way newsworthy, Why are you blogging about it ?

Nick,

If the story is true and if you read the comments beckett has said carefully grafted, it only proves a severe lack of security.

If a member of parliment can be duped that easily, god only knows what security sensitive inforamtion could be obtained. Beckett has only shown what a blithering idiot she is!

Rory should have known better than to attempt this and I feel he did it as a "joke", but a very poor joke all the same. If his intention was to look into security issues and highlighted the fact, then all good and fine, but this wasn't the case.

I agree with Robinson, Ferguson, Zac et al. The fact that we are writing about it here does not make it newsworthy other than as a comment on Rory Bremner, a talented man who thinks he's more talented than he is. He could never be the real thing so better stick to imitations. Declared imitations are to be applauded, but what he did on this occasion was fraud (it's the same as for art forgery), as he deliberately deceived his targetted audience and has now tried to profit (in kudos) by it. Since he has lost, not profited, and no damage done the law need not be invoked.

It's a bit rich - the 91Èȱ¬ political editor rubbishing this particular story.
Turn on 91Èȱ¬ radio and TV in the morning and all you get is "Tony Blair will announce today..."; "Gordon Brown will meet representative from the Indian government later today...."
Get your own real stories, the stories they don't want us to hear and maybe we'll listen, but as far as I'm aware the 91Èȱ¬ is just the mouthpiece for this government. Worse still, they themselves can't see it.

I think people like Steve R and Tom are quite correct. The fact that Beckett divulged these viewpoints to "Brown" where she certainly would not have done to Blair, speaks volumes about the transparency and ill-disciplined individual responsibilities of our government. Clearly their priorities are not the country's interests, more their own profile. Factionalised government, whilst nothing new, is an inherent obstacle to progress. As for this conversation, it provides an important observation on the blend of personalities within cabinet and is not, as is being suggested, merely a publicity stunt. Though I have to confess, the hypocrisy and painfully forced incredulity that's coming out of Government is emminently funnier than the subject matter itself.

Oh dear. It's not a teensy bit because you don't like what he did that you've said what you have, is it?

I had always liked Rory Bremner until I watched him on Sunday AM yesterday.
What he did was totally despicable.
Hvaing done the dirty deed he has no shame or he would never have admitted such a thing.
Sheer disgrace this is taking a 'send up' a bit too far.

"...That would never happen where you work, would it?!!"

Actually no, it wouldn't. Just because Beeb newsrooms are legendary for their bullying, sniping and ambition-fuelled back-stabbing, please don't assume the rest of the country's workforce allow such atmospheres to fester.

Although I'm a big fan of Rory Bremner, he should leave this type of humour to Steve Penk. I agree Sunday AM shouldn't have given him the oxygen of publicity - it should get back to what 91Èȱ¬ 'magazine' shows do best: being thinly veiled promotion vehicle for forthcoming 91Èȱ¬ programmes.

P.S. Aren't journalists supposed to give facts not opinions?

Guess what Nick? The permanent state of mendacity, cheating and duplicity of British politicians is not "just like everybody else".

What makes the Bremner 'playing with matches' thing news, is that it points up the dishonest (basically lying) response of politicians to any suggestion that there is ever any difference of opinion or dissension between them and their colleagues.

Each and every time a politician is asked about some difference of opinion or debate in their Government, Cabinet or party, this is met with complete denials and (essentially) downright lies that any such thing ever takes place. Part of the standard response is to lie and say it is all made up, and made up by the media.

Bremner's wee whimsy was a little shedding of daylight on this grubby twilight of Westminster politics.

Professional, conventional, lobby correspondents such as Robinson might retort 'oh grow up, this is politics!' But that is just a reflection of how they are part of the Westminster goldfish bowl. Out in the real world people find the endless, disingenuous denials and lying of main party politicians and Government members to be disgusting, excluding and, increasingly, unacceptable.

It's a shame that the very correspondents and journalists who we might otherwise dependent on to counter it, instead simply fall in with this disreputable business.

This must be a near record number of comments for a "non newsworthy" story! Both parties involved seem to be equally stupid. The 1st for a cheap trick and the 2nd for raising the skirts on government duplicity etc. Nick - keep on trying to expose real politicians (how many these days?) and real politics that us poor voters need to know.

This made me laugh...

"I couldn't spot a single newsworthy story in his trick conversation with the foreign secretary."

Yeah but Jade Goody going to India is soo important it needs to be placed on the front page of the 91Èȱ¬ News Website, cause we wouldn't want such an earth shattering piece of news to be missed now would we.

Beckett telling the truth for a change about her fellow MPs, without the much lambasted Labour Spin, and this isn't worthy of our attention, there isn't a news story here.

If it didn't depress me soo much I think I would laugh at the state of our media, and what they believe to be worthwhile news stories.

'Who, in their right minds, could think that this is an appropriate way to run a country? Especially this (once) great country'.

Oh, come on, who in their right minds expects a politician to say what they really think of their colleagues? They're just ordinary people like any of us, they can quite easily prove that they're not the gods on high, and I for one would be quite uncomfortable if they were.

No one would go around telling their colleagues at work what they really thought of them, but if they were talking to the boss, and he mentioned something about them, they'd probably agree.

It's also a little romantic to assume that most politicians have ever been any different. Do you really think Morrisson and Bevan told each other what they really thought about the other? I'd imagine it's unlikely.

Hi Nick,
I get the sense you are somewhat annoyed about this story- I think it has become popular simply because it is hilarious. Beckett obviously doesn't talk to Gordon brown that often- peter Hain guessed it was Bremner!!!!!

Bremner is getting desperate. Satirical humour is best left to undergrads - we expect them to be gauche and naughty. Rory's too old for pranks on the phone and his scewed-up-faced impersonations are a bore. With Marr on Sunday he was an embarrassment.
He should retire or find himself a job commensurate with his age.

Not a single newsworthy story? So why did the 91Èȱ¬ (and everyone else) report it? Still... it was more newsworthy than those tedious Oscars, at least.

Right on Nick, the excellent presentations from Hain and Blears were almost ruined by Mike Yarwood's prank.

Hain should take legal action, that will shut Bremner up, how dare he question the integrity of Hain. Blears and Hain are ideal replacements and I was particularly taken with Hain and his consistent and incisive comments. Blears laid out a vision for the future that will help the party reconnect with 10 years of success.

Well done the 91Èȱ¬, excellent. Marr will win journalist of the year without doubt.

Considering the lying, scheming, less than transparent way New Labour have carried out their duties over the past few years, I'm amazed that people are painting Rory Bremner as the villain of this piece. Well done Rory - you're my hero.

Dear Nick,

Never mind the DTI, Pat Hewitt would be out of her depth in a desert. Her unofficial NHS nickname is "Patsy Two-Planks" - 'nuff said ;-)

So what, of course politicians gossip, anyone involved in a political party gossips in this fashion.
What saddens me is the lack of stature of any modern politicians, I never agreed with Denis Healey or Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams etc but they were political heavy weights and worth listening to whatever they said. Sadly no one today comes anywhere near. perhaps this is why there is so little interest in politics.And I write as some one active in politics for 30 years.

Not many years ago this would have been viewed by the vast majority of the adult population as an irritating adolescent prank of value, purpose and amusement only to those whose minds had not yet grown up.

It says a lot about how infantile society has become that so many people of adult age should now consider it to be something more important than that.

Rory Bremner is now Gamekeeper turned Poacher. When New Labour came into office he lost his bite, still biting at the Conservatives and ignoring Blair's many abuses. Now, like a woman scorned, he is turning on them in this bizarre and rather unacceptable way. It's a really unhealthy obsession. Rather than these crazy stunts I wish he would have used his satirical skills consistently rather than fawning over the Court of Blair for so long.

I used to watch Rory Bremner's imitations in the past and laughed to the hilt at times,but to fool the one of the most senior labour party figure and a dignified woman with scientific mind to try his latest trick left me with bad taste.