Good journalism or not

[ArrowsFA1]

The Daily Telegraph therefore decided to send two undercover reporters posing as Lib Dem supporters to find out what MPs were saying privately in constituency surgeries.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8215481/Vince-Cable-I-have-the-nuclear-option-its-like-fighting-a-war.html

Regardless of the politics, it is acceptable for the media to "entrap" someone in this way to get a story?

[gloomyDAY]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8215481/Vince-Cable-I-have-the-nuclear-option-its-like-fighting-a-war.html

Regardless of the politics, it is acceptable for the media to "entrap" someone in this way to get a story?Sneaky, but not illegal. Morals don't really matter when you're trying to dig up some dirt. Especially if it's from a politician and even more so if there's a hidden agenda.

[Retro Formula 1]

I don't see a problem really. If they are saying something in private and then misleading the public then it needs to be exposed so what Vince is saying here to a "Lib" supporter should be common knowledge.

[Dave B]

Regardless of the politics, it is acceptable for the media to "entrap" someone in this way to get a story?
Tough call. The defence is that it's "in the public interest" but that often gets interpreted as "the public will be interested". The irony is that the Murdoch press can hardly complain, with The News of the World frequently employing their "fake sheik" and with former editor (and now Cameron's aide) Andy Coulson facing investigation for alleged phone-tapping.

In this case, I'd say the balance tips just in favour of the former: the second most powerful Liberal Democrat has grave reservations about government policy, calling them Maoist and saying they're moving too quickly.

Sadly the criticisms of his own government have been largely drowned out by the noise surrounding his self-declared "war" on the Murdoch empire (Cable vs Satellite). That will be the story that gets remembered.

Several interesting things look to come from this.

Firstly, MPs will be far more guarded when talking to genuine constituents, and that's clearly in nobody's interest. Murdoch must be laughing all the way to the bank, as Cable loses oversight of the deal and responsibility is handed to a tame Hulture Secretary who will rubber-stamp the deal. The Telegraph don't come out of this well, sitting on the Murdoch story, wereas ironically the BBC did break the news even though they must have known it could ultimately cause them harm.

It will be interesting to see what else The Telegraph has up its sleeve: they strung out the MPs' expenses story over several weeks, and it's already been revealed (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8218224/Liberal-Democrat-ministers-condemn-scrapping-of-child-benefit.html)that three further Lib Dems have been recorded criticising goverment policy on child benefit, housing benefit and tuition fees.

The timing, too, is interesting. The headline writers are still focussed on the weather, and the public are apathetic because it's so close to Christmas. It's strange that they didn't keep their powder dry until the new year, this could have been far more explosive. The Telegraph appear to be trying to weaken the coalition, and whilst this has caused cracks it doesn't look anything like driving a wedge between the two parties. Yet...

[Mark in Oshawa]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8215481/Vince-Cable-I-have-the-nuclear-option-its-like-fighting-a-war.html

Regardless of the politics, it is acceptable for the media to "entrap" someone in this way to get a story?

In a world where we have Wikileaks being hailed as something noble, this is small potatoes...

[Sonic]

Good journalism? No.

Good business? No doubt.

The bottom line is, undercover or not, I don't think I'd be spilling my guts about my workplace to complete strangers - at least not such specifics. Vince was naïve.

[AAReagles]

Regardless of the politics, it is acceptable for the media to "entrap" someone in this way to get a story?

Considering human nature, that people try to entrap other people all the time; whether in relationships, work or other affairs, I'd say it's reasonable... or expected rather.