You have to laugh at Charlie Whelan – the poisonous mudslinger bleating that he is the victim of “Tory dirty tricks“. It wasn’t Tories who were planning dirty tricks was it? It was Charlie and his mudslinging pals.
You have been caught doing what you have always done.
Hat-tip: Strathspey and Badenoch Herald
He says he “takes full responsibility”. Still no sign of a letter of apology to Iain Dale or Guido yet…
Guido has written a recap of recent events for the Speccie. The piece explains how Guido rolled the barrels of digital dynamite towards Westminster last week. The editor, Matthew d’ Ancona, liked the piece enough to put it on the front page with a portrait that captures Guido’s dashing good looks quite well. Strangely he said some of the text submitted would not get past the lawyers.
Can’t see why saying that the Telegraph journalist Chris Hope is a slippery bastard who broke his word to Guido and revealed that Guido was his source, could be in any way libellous. It is absolutely true.
Never mind that the Telegraph signed a non-disclosure agreement (which it breached spectacularly) and tipped off Downing Street as to what was coming. They did everything they could to spoil the story. Did Guido forget to mention the worst thing about Chris Hope? He always seems to go missing when it is his round…
The Smeargate story still has legs, though it has moved from the front-pages to the comment pages. John Lloyd in the FT makes the point that the all party shift towards non-ideological, centrist politics means the personal becomes more political – “That view is a rational one, in a politico-media space as tuned to scandal and personality as the British one now is.”
The Sun editorialises against Tom Watson, the Downing Street Minister for Mudslinging,
THE stink of a cover-up hangs over Downing Street.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell rules out an inquiry into whether minister Tom Watson knew about the “Smeargate” emails. He says he is happy to accept the minister’s denials, and the case is closed. That might be good enough for Sir Gus. It isn’t for The Sun. How can we know the full facts without an investigation, which means examining ALL emails involved?
The Sun is gunning hard on this issue saying “Watson, McBride and Draper are the true face of today’s Labour Party: A party that has lost all decency, all sense of honour, all connection with the people it was elected to serve.” Guido has a theory that Watson has swallowed Gordon Brown’s moral compass.
The Times say Whelan has to go. Well maybe he would go if we could find him. He has gone into hiding. Another public interest service from Guido.
