Jon Mendelsohn is running out of options, as an experienced spin merchant he knows that suing a newspaper is risky and the last option of the desperate. It buys a little time and than you may have to drop it or risk expensively losing in Court. Remember the Beckhams threatening to sue various kiss ‘n tell girls? Remember Aitken and his trusty sword of truth? Doesn’t work does it?

Every indication is that the Standard is sticking by the story. They say the source is excellent. Guido has to laugh whenever Mendelsohn’s “friends” peddle the “man of integrity” line. People who have done business with him say that is not a description they recognised. The last thing Labour needs is to wash their dirty linen in a bitterly fought libel case.