Liam Fox hits out at press over 'vindictive' coverage

The former defence secretary Liam Fox attacked the media yesterday in his resignation statement to the House of Commons, accusing "some quarters" of the press of pursuing him with "personal vindictiveness, even hatred".

Fox claimed that parts of the press had hounded family and friends in the course of "a media frenzy".

He welcomed having been cleared of personally profiting from his association with Adam Werrity, claiming that it had been "widely and wrongly implied" by the press, and said it was "unacceptable that friends and family that have nothing to do with the central issues should be hounded and intimidated by elements of the media, including is this case elderly relatives and children".

He continued: "It is difficult to operate in the modern environment, as we know, where every bit of information however irrelevant and immaterial is sensationalised and where opinions or even accusations are treated as fact."

Fox also criticised the media over for "unquestioning" coverage of Dubai-based businessman Harvey Boulter, whose passing of Adam Werrity's controversial business card to the Guardian helped trigger the investigation into Fox's affairs.

"It was particularly concerning that Harvey Boulter, who was present at the Dubai meeting and subsequently the defendant in a blackmail case, was treated so unquestioningly," Fox said.
 
"Last week's media frenzy was not unprecedented, where a necessary free press and politics collide, but I believe that there was a personal vindictiveness, even hatred from some quarters that should worry us."

Guardian media commentator and former Daily Mirror editor Roy Greenslade hit back at Fox over his statement, accusing him of a "knee-jerk" attack.

"He wanted us to know that he is all in favour of a free press in theory. It's the practice he can't stand. How often do we hear that?

"He appears to believe that journalists (and, doubtless, editors) were vindictive and motivated by hatred. Not really, Liam. It's just how things are during the average media feeding frenzy.

"It isn't pretty and I'm sure there will have been examples of regrettable misbehaviour during the hunt for "the truth". Well, something approximating to the truth.

"But what did he expect? When the diggers dig, they make a mess. They cannot know whether their spades will strike gold or dross.

"Their job is simply to go on digging - knocking on doors, telephoning, trawling through documents, whatever it takes."

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