Daily Mail columnist John Lee argues that many politicians publicly champion press freedom while privately resenting scrutiny of themselves, and singles out one figure above all for attacking journalists. His piece is anchored to an event at Dublin's National Convention Centre marking the 30th anniversary of the murder of Irish investigative journalist Veronica Guerin, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin delivered a speech praising a free press. Lee's contention is that such rhetoric rings hollow when set against politicians' actual conduct towards the media.

Lee notes that Martin spoke movingly about his late friend Guerin and lauded the political response to her killing, principally by the Fianna Fáil-led Cabinet he served in, which took power a year after her death. Martin warned against authoritarian governments undermining independent journalism and declared he was determined this would not happen in Ireland. Lee points out that Martin did not mention his own growing clashes with independent journalism. The article appears alongside extensive Daily Mail coverage of its own recent High Court victory against phone-hacking claims brought by figures including Prince Harry and Baroness Lawrence.