Mel Gibson's fault.
"British parties try to entice Scots" New York Times August 06, 2014
LONDON — With little more than six weeks to go before a referendum on independence for Scotland, the main British political parties promised Tuesday to grant new devolved powers to Scots if they decide to keep their union with the rest of Britain.
The offer came hours ahead of a televised debate between the first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, who supports independence, and the leader of the group opposing independence, Alistair Darling, who was chancellor of the Exchequer in the last Labor government in Britain.
Prime Minister David Cameron spurned a challenge to debate with Salmond on television, on the ground that he will not have a vote in the referendum. Only those living in Scotland may participate.
Cameron’s Conservatives, or Tories, have struggled in Scotland, where some critics portray them as more concerned with England. Strategists appear to have concluded that Salmond will find it harder to debate with Darling, a fellow Scot who is respected, if uncharismatic.
Salmond’s office called the promise from the British parties a “rehash of vague promises and unspecified more powers in the event of a no vote.”
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I was going to put up a related link but to hell with it.
"2 ex-journalists face hacking charges" Associated Press July 31, 2014
LONDON — Two former senior journalists at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid have been charged with conspiring to hack phones.
Former features editor Jules Stenson and former deputy editor Neil Wallis are accused of conspiring to illegally listen to voicemails.
Their editor was Andy Coulson, who was convicted last month of hacking. Coulson, who also served as Prime Minister David Cameron’s communications chief, is serving an 18-month sentence.
Wallis was previously arrested in 2011, but was told in 2013 that he would not be charged. On Wednesday he accused police of an ‘‘endlessly vindictive and enormously costly investigation.’’
Rupert Murdoch closed the News of the World in July 2011 after the disclosure that it had hacked the phone of a 13-year-old murder victim.
And now he is trying to buy Time-Warner.
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Related: Coulson Sentenced
