Tabloid papers should stop using the spurious defence of “public interest” pursuing salacious stories, according to The Guardian’s chief political commentator Michael White.
Writing on the comment is Free blog about the Federation International de L’Autosport’s (FIA) decision to back its president Max Mosley, in light of News of the World allegations he indulged in a “Nazi orgy”, White questions the paper’s story and its continued position of standing squarely behind it.
Mosley, son of the British far right politician Oswald, denies there was ever a Nazi theme and is suing for libel.
And why is White criticising his colleagues in the popular press? He says “Just to remind gullible people – not Guardian readers, of course – that they shouldn’t believe every axe-grinding allegation or claim of ‘public interest’ they read in the papers, about Formula 1 tycoons, footballers, or even politicians”.
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