Piers Morgan was fired as editor of the Daily Mirror after refusing to apologize for publishing fake photos that purported to show British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners. The photos caused distress and put British troops in danger by being published. An investigation proved the photos were staged. As a result, the Mirror believed it was inappropriate for Morgan to continue as editor given the sensitive situation.

1. Piers
Morgan
FIRED!
Friday 14th May 2004
Tonight Piers Morgan has been
relieved of his duties as editor of
the Daily Mirror.
This comes after a crunch meeting
with chief executive Sly Bailey
over the Iraq ‘torture’
photographs.
Piers had worked there for eight and a half years however this
was one action the newspaper could not ignore.
Just before his dismissal, Piers was asked to say sorry for his
actions that gave the paper such a bad name.
He refused and just after 6 o’clock this evening they let him go.
Shortly after being fired he spoke to the media. “If nobody
knows the provenance of these photographs, why should we
apologise?” he said.
The pictures Piers published
caused so much distress because
they are of British soldiers
apparently abusing Iraqi prisoners.
The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
however proved that they were
staged and set up a strong
campaign over the Mirror's
handling of the images.

2. They also explained how the Mirror put British troops in danger
by running the photographs.
In one picture a soldier is seen urinating on a hooded man while
in another the hooded man is being hit with a rifle in the groin.
It is from this where The Sun
newspaper had offered a
£50,000 reward for
“Information about the fake
Mirror photos”
They took the offer back
shortly after Morgan’s firing.
Roger Goodman of the
regiment said, “It is just a
great pity it has taken so
long... and that so much
damage has been done in the
meantime.”
The Mirror explained earlier today “They were a calculated and
malicious hoax.”
“The Daily Mirror published in good
faith photographs which it absolutely
believed were genuine images of British
soldiers abusing an Iraqi prisoner”, the
newspaper said.
The aftermath left Piers Morgan
without a job as the paper believed it
would be “Inappropriate for Morgan to
continue as editor.”

3. With this being such a delicate situation, Downing Street were
informed however they refused to comment on the topic and left
the Mirror to sort their own mess out.
Piers’ departure has left many shocked because this morning
prior to his late meeting he spoke with such energy and
confidence when speaking to ITV. “All I want to say is we
published the truth.”
“We have revealed a can of worms. If the government chooses
to ignore that, it is entirely a matter for them.” He went on to
say.
From this it explains Piers has not shown any remorse for his
actions and believes he did everything properly.
Des Kelly, Morgan’s deputy will now replace him in the short
term running of the paper.
When Kelly spoke out he explained that all the staff were in
tears when it was first announced.
His colleagues may have been sad to see him leave, however
many people agree with the decision to let Piers go.
Andrew Neil the former editor of the Sunday times leads the
shots fired towards Piers.
“This was about the life of British soldiers, and you can't tough
it out when you're wrong”
Now there will be further investigations into these images and
of the British soldiers concerned.