Confronted by wave of fury from victims of Britain’s latest phone hacking scandal, British Prime Minister David Cameron demanded the country’s top news editors come up with a “new system of press regulation”. If they don’t, Cameron fears that the entire government will have to bow down and submit to a hypothetical law that could bring about an entirely new era of regulations.
John F. Burns of the New York Times writes his article with an exasperated tone. He speaks of “moves for a new regulatory system”, and how the “dispute poses a potentially serious political challenge” to Prime Minister David Cameron. Also, he quotes Cameron himself, by including his words: “the clock is ticking for this to be sorted out.” All things considered, Burns does have reason to feel exasperated. Cameron and his conservatives cannot seem to be able to reach an agreement with the Liberal Democrats: a situation all too familiar to American constituents.
His purpose seems to complement his tone. His exasperation leads him to describe the implications of what would happen if editors are unable to create a new system of regulations. Burns slyly points out that “Mr. Cameron could find his Conservatives… facing defeat in the House of Commons if the issue comes to a vote”.
Prime Minister David Cameron speaks to students at a Catholic school.