The Moral Dimension

In "The Moral Dimension", a superb episode of Yes, Minister, a journalist has reports from France that a recent British contract in Kumran was won by bribery.

Press Officer: I must ask you to meet this journalist.

Hacker: Oh, yes, all right. What am I going to say?

Humphrey: I suggest attack is the best form of defense.

Hacker: Attack, attack, yes. Good thinking, Humphrey. Yes, got it.

Press Officer: Miss Jenny Goodwin from The Guardian.

Hacker: Do come in. Sit down, Jenny.I may call you Jenny, may I not? Now, what seems to be the trouble?

Jenny: The first is a story that was in the French press. It's about corruption in BES -
getting the Kumrani contract.

Hacker: Complete nonsense!

Jenny: They quoted reports of payments to officials.

Hacker: Really, this is absolutely typical. A British company slogs its guts out to win orders, create jobs! What does it get from the media? A smear campaign!

Jenny: If they won by bribery...

Hacker: There was no bribery. I had a full inquiry. All these payments have been identified. Commission fees, administrative overheads. Operative costs, managerial surcharges. Expenses, miscellaneous outgoings. We have looked into every brown envelope... ...every......every account book and everything is completely in order.

Jenny: I see.

Hacker: May I say one thing? Allegations of this nature are symptomatic of a very sick society for which the media shares the blame! I'll call on the Press Council to censure the press for its lack of professionalism in running this story. The Council and the House of Commons must be concerned about the standards which have applied in this disgraceful matter. Pressure will be brought to bear to make sure that this gutter press reporting is not repeated.

Isn't it interesting how both Frank Walker and Philip Bailhache have attacked the media in a very similar style to Hacker. It is clear that the media - the UK media - have born the brunt of the Liberation day speeches - "Liberate us from lies" indeed!

Of course, as we know from their statements, it is crystal clear the media have got it all wrong.

For this is real life, not Yes Minister, where, in fact, the minister, James Hacker, was using attacking the media as a means of diverting attention from the fact that something really had gone wrong behind the scenes.

Although I can't help having doubts....