Skipper

My first angle is to do with the vexed question of Dave's judgement. He said today that with the benefit of hindsight he would not have appointed Andy Coulson as his Press Secretary. Debate over? Not really, as Ed Miliband insisted. It is clear he was offered advice by a legion of people from Paddy Ashdown and Gordon Brown to Nick Clegg and John Yates
; in each case the advice was ignored. Judgement in such cases is crucial. If several reports suggest your house foundations are dodgy and you ignore them then you are culpable if your house falls down. And metaphorically at least, part of his has fallen down.

David Mellor, who should know a thing or two about poor judgement, said this morning on BBC news that Cameron should have heeded the warnings and not have stood aside as if the very act of being informed would 'compromise' him. He was being warned about something which could badly damage his government, not to mention the media and the standing of public servants including MPs and the police. Cameron's judgement is under attack here and his standing has been damaged, despite his robust display in the Commons today.

My second angle concerns Rupert Murdoch's wife, Wendi Deng. Her action woman response to the threat to her aged spouse has thrust her into the news and we have been served up with aspects of her biography which, in other circumstances would make any tabloid hack's writing fingers itch to scribble down the dirt. This
article explains how she was perceived by friends and enemies alike as extremely ambitious for self advancement. An American couple, the Cherrys helped her leave her humble background in China to settle in the USA and for a while gave her accommodation until Mrs Cherry discovered hubby was having an affair with the pneumatic former volleyball star. She was chucked out but soon married Cherry in February 199o; however, four months later she left because Cherry discovered she was seeing a guy called David Wolf. The linked article claims Rupert was unaware of Wendi's back story and was shocked when he discovered it.

Later on still, Deng met Murdoch at a function in Hongkong and soon was working for Star Television and being seen at Murdoch's side. Most Murdoch watchers agree she has acted like an elixir to him, rejuvenating the aging mogul's attitude to life and, if evidence were needed, bearing him two children. Her so-called 'Charlie's Angel' moment in attacking her husband's attacker yesterday reveals the unusual qualities of a highly unusual but extremely determined young woman.