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This article looks at the recent spate of political scandal news, both financial and sexual, in the United Kingdom during the Major and Blair administrations. Scandal revelations, especially those produced by the press, may be due in part to the audience-building strategies of the media. Dissenting views, in contrast, may possibly be offered as a result of the media’s own legitimation needs. Stories of scandal serve to undermine institutions in the public’s mind and can often provoke the setting up of government and parliamentary committees leading to the regulation of particular activities. This article shows how the accumulation of scandal stories may have serious repercussions for the popularity of governments and prime ministers and may influence the representation of all aspects of policy.
Howard Tumber (2004) studied this question.