The Eye of the Storm: The View from the Centre of a Political Scandal

Abstract

MPs' expenses in 2009. Phone hacking in 2011. ?Plebgate' in 2012. If a good speech or a ground-breaking new policy fails to get people talking, you can be sure a juicy scandal will do the trick. Our instantaneous news culture of social networks, blogs and Twitter feeds means politicians now, more than ever, can find themselves the focus of every journalist in the country in what seems like the blink of an eye. But behind this hostile media landscape, behind the storm of camera flashes and the clamour of opponents on all sides baying for blood, are the politicians themselves. With the benefit o