When is a Smear Not a Smear?
There has been an ongoing rumbling about the Audit Commission’s Jenny Watson being smeared as an incompetent who milked the taxpayer by one of Eric Pickles’ SpAds in a briefing to Sam Coates of the Times, which he then obediently reprinted.
Figures have been plucked out of thin air to suggest that the Department of Local Government had spent “thousands” on legal advice because of the case, though Guido was confident enough to bet the editor of Political Scrapbook £50 that the figure was closer to zero. Labour are pushing the story around, though it’s hardly up there with Damian McBride. What it comes down to is that Jenny Watson did milk the taxpayer. The truth cannot be a smear…
UPDATE: Paul Richards, author of “Be Your Own Spin Doctor“ tweets piously that taxpayer funded SpAds “are not employed to slag people off in anonymous briefings to hacks.” Totally different to the time when he as a taxpayer funded SpAd ghost wrote an article in the Guardian slagging Guido off as a “vicious nihilist”…
Thetruth and Labour is a oxymoron.
Do ministers get worried about the expenditure of every ‘a few thousand pounds’ ?
I wish they did. Although personally I’d rather they red-penned projects around the £100+m mark first.
Real savings – not faux outrage at pennies.
Like this you mean?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1362451/100k-Eastern-European-migrants-free-claim-UK-benefits-EU-ruling.html
Not a chance I’m afraid.
Pennies make pounds!
The government’s much-trumpeted ‘bonfire of the quangos’ has been savaged by an influential committee of MPs.
In a damning and comprehensive criticism of the measure, the public administration committee found the programme, which threatens thousands of jobs, would neither save money nor improve accountability.
The inquiry found there was no meaningful consultation, the tests the review used were not clearly defined and the Cabinet Office failed to establish a proper procedure for departments to follow.
MPs also raised concerns that the move did not allow for sufficient safeguards to prevent the misuse of new powers by ministers.
“The whole process was rushed and poorly handled and should have been thought through a lot more,” said Conservative committee chairman Bernard Jenkin.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to help build the ‘big society’ and save money at the same time, but it has been botched.
Why would anyone bother to read this – I am sure it’s all very interesting but will be completely out of context and manipulated to concur with your own point of view.
Its the lone cut and paster from Labour HQ.
Under Dolly there used to be 4 or 5 of them on here.
Another example of evil Tory-led cuts.
Another example of evil Unite-led Labour cuts and pastes
Another example of evil Tory-led cu*ts.
Another example of evil Tony-led cu*ts.
Just because the story is true and embarrassing for your boss Pickles doesn’t mean you should listen to pathetic whining CCHQ pussies crying about it
Kill them all. God will know his own.
bloody Jackboots on Sky – now she is being paid to watch porn – she looks like ed miliband with make up on.
The contrast of Smith with the previous guest Neil Ferguson is stark. And to think one of them used to be The Home Secretary and it wasnt Neil.
our ex home sec discussing porn – using such great English as ‘no nothing’ – guido i don’t have twitter can someone tweet sky and tell her to sod off its lunchtime ffs.
Hasn’t porn been done to death academically? And by much more perceptive people than Jacqui? What new insight is she offering, exactly?
that her husband likes it and she doesnt – that its easy to access on the internet – that some women like being involved in the industry and others are exploited
How to make a jelly shaped like tits?
Was that Ferguson, the historian? he’s always good value for money when pitched against a lefty. Why didn’t that fucktard Gove pick him to draft the school History syllabus rather than that overcamp, labour supporting wanker, Simon Schama. Schama’s anti British schtick will run through the syllabus like ‘Blackpool’ through a stick of rock. Once more the useless fucking Tories give a lefty placeman a great big stick to beat us over the head with.
Jeez, I wish Ghadaffi would divert one of his planes and strafe Downing Street and CCHQ.
+1 they could take out quite a few faux tories with one good hit.
Jesus, it’s going to take a strong does of brainbleach to clear that image out my head.
Jacqueline was a fantastic politician and she has made an inciteful radio programme on an important topic.
And stop going on about it too.
BBC 5 live have given her more plugs .. than .. well than Jacqui Smiff already has.
And as we know, that’s a lot of plugs.
We demand free ear-plugs.
Inciting to do what though?
Why the hell is Brillo paying her to appear on “This Week”? Two appearances so far & they undermine the concept of “crime does not pay”. It sure does in her case.
I’m going to a pub quiz.
Can I come along? I’ve got nothing on tonight. I’ll be really good if there’s any questions on…
book pulping?
Fucking everything up?
”I’ve got nothing on tonight.”
Are you the star of Jacqui’s show?
Now there’s something new – Tories and sleaze!
“….though it’s hardly McBride worthy”
It’s a tory spad so it doesn’t count
Will we be whiter than white.
Hi Tacitus. How are the Hindujas, the Mittals, Ecclestone, Lord Levy, Lord Paul, Baroness Uddin?
Amateurs. We win hands down don’t we Ed?
minor troll alert !
Very appropriate that Hezza is loosing his marbles, Cable has lost his marbles, Yvette is Ma Balls and it was all hosted by a bunch of Looney Lefties with No Balls in Barking. Mad.
Ain’t seen that Eric Pickles vid before…
Who is on QT tonight –haven’t seen a listing yet. Next week it’s from Edinburgh, so one of the panellists is bound to be that sour faced midget Nicola Sturgeon.
I’m a pretty straight sort of guy. Isn’t that right, Colonel?
Meanwhile in Washington Robert Gates criticises “some political leaders” for their “loose talk” about no-fly zones…whoever can he mean ???
It’s alright, the international criminal court are investigating Gadaffi. So he’d better watch out!
Take your time, lads. He’s only been there 40 years.
Dave’s explained, he meant ‘we no fly zones’.
The yanks feel that a no-fly zone over Lee-bee-aah is a bit premature …..and if they were to get involved they would have to strategically bomb all of the country’s air defence installations;airfields;communications,roads and major arms dumps to ensure that their forces were not attacked…..which rather defeats the object of protecting the population but then again it worked in Eye-rack…didn’t it ??
I have been misquoted. I was actually talking about the overseas aid budget and how we are targetting it at those most in need. We are going to spend a few billion on eradicating flies which are a real problem in the hot Libyan climate.
There’ll be no flys when I’m around. Let it all hang out.
Perhaps these Labour types should be forced to have a ‘smear test’ to ascertain that what they are saying isn’t fatuous.
Anyone want a peerage? Just a cool million.
It was Jack Dromey that pointed the finger at Blair.
before he triumphed in the all female short list, or after ?
Is Jack eligible for a smear test?
When Hattie and Tessa go for theirs, do the medical staff ask them their names only because they are then knowing which end to test?
You heard it there second, section…. My Private Eye has just arrived and… guess what, Guido!… It has your story about the Grauniad’s hypocrisy in lambasting Barclays for tax evasion, but siting its own Guardian Media Group firmly in the Cayman Islands for tax purposes on p7.
Deja vue… again… I’m up to p13 and we have Marr’s £600,000 salary cited…
Private Eye is a lamb under the Thai bride.
Time was when it had teeth and claws. And a temper.
Private eye has been on the Guardians case for it’s tax arrangements for a good while now, longer than Guido I’d wager.
Not saying it hasn’t. But where’s the bite….the meat? The juicy bits of the story that they won’t (daren’t?) publish?
I remember the Eye calling these kind of people for what they were – liars and thieves.
Sad. Very sad.
Private Eye is still well worth it’s subscription.
More Guido bollocks. Everyone knows the Commission was axed because fatty Pickles had a row with Watson.
Everybody knows that the Audit Commission was just another cabel of rent-seeking Lefties. Cleaning out that septic blackhead on the body politic was a damn good move.
I have made 3d solidworks model of Prescott and have established he has more than average difficult wiping his arse
I assume you have an awesome widescreen monitor.
I once nearly ran over thatx twat in Hull city center! Tried to swerve round the fat git but ran out of petrol!
Sarah Brown on Radio 5. She’s got the most boring voice I’ve heard for a long time.
Found it most unsettling listening to her.
Horrible reminder of Loony Gordon.
Something about the speech patterns I expect.
Had to stop the car and buy some jelly babies
Think about what the sprogs will be like having grown up in that household?
Today I have mostly been listening to the radio.
… as it shatters against the wall.
Did they ask her if her husband was really doing his job at Westminster, cos his voting record might suggest that he is not keeping the government to account.
Sarah Brown: “Gordon was the most extraordinarily successful Prime Minister….”
At destroying the country….
Bat that c*nt Bacon is lapping it up
Radio 2 had Gillian Duffy on.
Maybe they could do the show together.
Agree with first four words
‘The truth cannot be a smear’
Up to a point, Lord Copper. People can still be arrested for ‘hate crimes’ when they mention certain truths which others deem to be indusputable yet still unmentionable.
Quite right. In some circumstances its illegal to speak the truth, but perfectly acceptable to parade eye-poppingly ludicrous PR as fact.
Strange kind of democracy which locks people up for telling the truth. I thought it was only third world, despotic dictators, who indulged in such practices.
When the gynaecologist makes a cock-up of the swab inventory.
Labour complaining about smears? Who’d've thunk it…
Let’s have the details of this Watson bint’s exes and slash’n'burn the Audit Comission ASAP.
Keep it up Guido,it keeps me out the news.
There’s always an ongoing rumbling when Pickles is around.
aye
7.6 on the richter scale after lunch.
Pickles ? Was he The Man in The Jar ?
That was the Judge fellow.
You’re thinking of Wilfred.
No you’re wrong…..didn’t he find the “stolen” Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy in 1966 ??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickles_%28dog%29
Give ‘em the money Mable.
When it comes to spin and violent rehotic the left win hands down.
Mr Brown, you know those aircraft carriers you ordered – well we can’t get them under the bridge
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12635744
But Billy ALWAYS wins with his left hand down – rehotic or no!
Nah , I will never win a caption contest
That’s what Ireland thought, couldn’t win a caption contest and look at them now, have faith.
Canada look like they might cause a upset today against P*kistan
For a minute I thought we were talking geopolitics.
P*kistan would indeed be rather astonished if they saw loads of canadians arriving on their beaches in landing craft.
“P*kistan would indeed be rather astonished if they saw loads of canadians arriving on their beaches in landing craft.”
….especially if they then started bowling cricket balls at them.
I’m looking forward to Question Time tonight ….it always has a balanced political view and its audience is a byword for impartiality……………..
Yeah – Brown and Blair can’t be blamed for the economy, but Thatcher can.
Explain that one, again ??
It started in America.
Ask Sid…HE started it all
“Beatie”‘s not in the clear either
Hall full of lefties ask difficult questions to Tories and boo their answers while the chairperson stays out of it.
Hall full of lefties ask easy questions to Socialists and clap their answers while the chairperson makes sure there is no sensible right of reply
When has the truth been a defence in the eyes of the left!!!
A Deepy!
The Audit Commission was a sick joke.
It was not interested in “audits”as a private company would understand the term (i.e. trying to find corruption and false accounting), it was interested in “social audits”.
Trying to see if local councils pushed various “progressive outcomes”.
The Audit Commission was not just “one billion Pounds a year down the drain” it actually did HARM – seeking to push P.C. rubbish on local councils.
“vicious nihilist”
I’d call that more an accurate description than a slaggin off.
The affront.
Guido should bite him.
Poor Guido, his apologising gets worse as each day passes.
Porky Pie Pickles is without doubt the most loathsome and odious amongst the current crop.
Habitual liar who feigns incredulity.
His 2nd home excuses on QT that time sums him up.
How many Labour MPS convicted?
How many Tories convicted?
He hasn’t been charged, found guilty and sent to prison like those sleazy Labour ex-MPs. Or thrown out of office like the liar Phil Woollas. He hasn’t given way to his venal side like most of the last government. And when is Denis McShane going to come up against the full force of the law? Mind you, he has a lot of friends amongst the dodgier elements of the judiciary so he might be let off.
By ‘Porky Pie Pickles’ you presumably mean that troll who turns up here with depressing frequency. “Habitual liar who feigns incredulity” fits him to a T.
Labour are being utter hypocrites about Sky. Not a single one complained when Murdoch backed them for 12 years.
And only last week didnt Ed Miliband meet someone at the Sun newspaper to try and get them onside?
It was more like 15 years, but your point is valid.
“UK construction activity at 8 month high” http://www.financemarkets.co.uk/2011/03/02/uk-construction-activity-hits-8-month-high
“UK manufacturing activity hold at record high” http://www.financemarkets.co.uk/2011/03/01/uk-manufacturing-activity-holds-record-high-in-february
Balls, where are you? Do you have anything to say about this? Hello, anyone there?
Guido
I have just watched Hunt’s statement on the BSkyB and Sky News agreement
Everyone on both sides of the Commons stressing the importance of media diversity
NO ONE stressing that the BBC has a 44% dominant position already
That should be borken first of all…
Are they all afraid of the BBC ?
It’s the 800 pound sack of shit in the room
Leftie cotrolled properganda = Good
Anyone else who doesnt agree with them= bad
when is this lib dem scandal coming out?
Better to fix it than break it.
i am doing the robot
I find Gordon Brown sexy.
Guido , where are all these sex scandals you’ve been promising us. I’m getting a bit restless, what with reading about coalition uselessness and Labour fiddling; its sex wot sells.
Hunt did a pretty good job earlier of smacking down John McDonnell’s hypocritical accusations of Murdoch buying the government.
Sure
But it is not Murdoch that has bought the Government
It is the BBC that seems to be unaccountable and permanently biased and above any regulation…
This should be the real debate
they supported the last government through the trough and oppose the coalition on the way down..their editorial remit needs expanding.
Yes I agree. The BBC should be brought to account for their biased editorial dictacts. Murdoch is not the problem, it is the liberal left that control the BBC.
Hunt did a brilliant job on PM too.
Was gobsmacked at the way Eddie Mair kept asking ever more feverish questions but would not listen to Hunts reasoned answers.
My once good opinion of Eddie has now been tarnished, perhaps for ever.
When oh when is Blair going to demand that we invade Libya?
Our loyal troops in Cyprus must be fearing for their very existence if Gaddafi turns his sights on them.
Mr Cameron stressed that he supported the BBC
He said: “The BBC is an important national institution. I want to see it prosper and succeed and be a fantastic cultural asset.”
He added that he was a “supporter of the licence fee”
“I’m probably the most pro-BBC Conservative leader there’s ever been!”
“I would never do anything to put the BBC at risk”.
The latest book by Paul Richards is called: “How to be an utter Hunt”
Jackboots looks as if she is no stranger to a mixed grill.
“Guardian slagging Guido off as a “vicious nihilist”…” You’re not are you Guido, how could he have come to that opinion?
I thought a nihilist was a striker who hasn’t scored in ages?