A key official in Tony Blair’s staff needed to manage newspapers for the ‘accuracy’ of their reporting, the recordsdata present.
Principal personal secretary Jeremy Heywood, a future Cupboard secretary, turned exasperated by what he considered inaccurate reporting.
Nevertheless, his enchantment for a system of ‘accuracy regulation’ was shot down by Mr Blair’s advisers, who mentioned it will be ‘suicidal’ to attempt.
Writing in August 2001, Mr Heywood mentioned: ‘I assume it’s unthinkable to impose accuracy regulation on newspapers? Is there no nation that has a profitable mannequin of regulation?’
Principal personal secretary Jeremy Heywood, pictured, a future Cupboard secretary, turned exasperated by what he considered inaccurate reporting
Heywood’s enchantment for a system of ‘accuracy regulation’ was shot down by Tony Blair’s (pictured) advisers, who mentioned it will be ‘suicidal’ to attempt
However Ed Richards, a coverage adviser, warned in opposition to such a plan. ‘I feel it’s nigh on unattainable to introduce controls (and possibly suicidal to attempt).’
Frustration with the press was nothing new amongst Sir Tony’s interior circle.
In a presentation to a Cupboard awayday in 1998, the previous prime minister himself mentioned: ‘We’ve a significant issue with a juvenile media. ‘The smallest selections can change into huge headlines. They refuse to report the substance of what you do.’
