Bloody Sunday – Cameron the master communicator

The Saville Inquiry was one of the most awaited documents to be published in modern UK and Irish history.

38 years after that fateful day the world waited with baited breath to see whether Lord Saville’s 5000 page report would unequivocally lay the blame for what happened in Derry on Bloody Sunday at the feet of the British army.

The whole roll-out of the report was fascinating from a communications’ point of view.  Apparent leaks conditioned the public to prepare for an exoneration of those who were killed and injured in Bloody Sunday, but by and large the detail of the report was kept under wraps right up until the Prime Minister’s pulsating address in The Commons.

For his part David Cameron has to be commended for the very clear and precise language he adopted in his Parliamentary address.  Our new PM  has earned himself something of a reputation as a straight talker since his rise to political prominence. And you’ve got to say he lived up to his reputation when, having cleverly articulated his support for the British Army, he said what happened on Bloody Sunday was neither justified nor justifiable.

His speech was powerful, compelling and, while carefully balanced so not to upset the current heirarchy and rank and file within Britain’s military, was uncompromising and unequivocal in its condemnation of those who were guilty of opening fire and then shooting innocent people.

Ok, the cynic could say the whole strategy was carefully calculated: make an upfront apology, stress the innocence of those killed by the Paras and then perhaps those who have been pressing for the truth could say they have had their day and would be less likely to press for prosecution of those involved.  Maybe that was part of the thinking or maybe not.  Others can make up their minds on fhat.

But for a pure, enthralling TV moment, the PM’s speech was pure gold.

DMcC