Not safe for work…

The Culture Secretary was being discussed all day, it was bound to happen eventually.

Hats off from the Guy News team…

Dennis Skinner wants Murdoch deported and…

“…as a final humiliation have the Secretary of State for Energy have drive him to the airport.”

According to the Indy. Believed to be accusing the Sunday Times. Awaiting evidence, but it would fit with his violent hatred mobile phones…

Breaking…

UPDATE: Accusations seem to be focused around Brown’s son Fraser who has cystic fibrosis. A fact the Sunday Times assertained and put to the then Chancellor, and appeared later in The Sun…

UPDATE II: Surprise, surprise, Gordon is working with The Guardian. They report:

“• Scotland Yard has discovered references to both Brown and his wife, Sarah, in paperwork seized from Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator who specialised in phone hacking for the News of the World

• Abbey National bank found evidence suggestion that a “blagger” acting for the Sunday Times on six occasions posed as Brown and gained details from his account,

• Brown’s London lawyers, Allen & Overy, were tricked into handing over details from his file by a conman working for the Sunday Times

• Details from his infant son’s medical records were obtained by the Sun, who published a story about the child’s serious illness.”

Developing…

UPDATE III: Hunt refers the bid to the Competition Commission as Murdoch signals temporary retreat.

Rumours are swirling that Brown is about to break cover at some point and implicate other newspapers in this scandal. Crick has put his cards on the table:

I hear that Gordon Brown going to make statement re activities of Sunday Times this afternoon.—
Michael Crick (@BBCMichaelCrick) July 11, 2011

Many suspect the glee with which Labour have taken to this fight has within it an element of Brownite revenge for the vicious kicking News International gave the Prime Mentalist on his way out the door and a kick in the shin to Blair who was closely allied to Murdoch. He may have sworn revenge, and it’s no surprise his close ally Tom Watson has been at the heart of this campaign, but can Brown really turn around now, with any shred of credibility, and pretend he wasn’t as enamored with the Sun King as his predecessor and successor? He certainly went out of his way to creep up to the empire.

Not only was Gordon creeping around James Murdoch whenever he got the chance (he was his guest at Chequers the weekend that the 2007 election was cancelled), but according to the “Ed” book, Rebekah Wade came up with one of his Miliband-destroying “no time for a novice” sound bites. One of the key ways he brown-nosed Murdoch and News International was by carefully deploying his more socially adept wife to do his bidding. Not content with organising dinners and Chequers “slumber parties“ with Elizabeth and Wendi Murdoch, Sarah Brown actually organised Rebekah Brook’s fortieth birthday.

Yes you read that right.

Without any debate at 10pm tonight, if the government whips get their way, the House will vote to decide:

That the draft International Monetary Fund (Increase in Subscription) Order 2011, which was laid before this House on 13 June, be approved.

After a rebellion in the committee corridors, the government whips are trying to sneak this measure through late tonight. Guido hears that Labour will vote against and many Tory backbenchers will vote with them to defeat this massive increase to Britain’s IMF subscription. Labour think the billions would be better spent on healthcare or reducing public sector cuts, Tory backbenchers think the money could be diverted towards growth boosting tax cuts rather than pouring it down a Greek black hole.

It will be the perfect end to a perfect day for the government if it defeated… 

Asked if he was accusing the Prime Minister of lying about what he knew regarding the information passed to Steve Hilton, the increasingly confident Labour leader said “I’m not going to throw around allegations, but… what I’m saying is the Prime Minister has a whole series of unanswered questions on this issue.” And he’s right…

If they want this angle to die down, Number 10 need to get their line on this clear today. The longer they leave the speculation of who knew what, and when, the longer it looks like they cannot, or are not willing to, provide an accurate narrative. It’s very simple – did Steve Hilton discuss the two Guardian contacts with his boss. Yes or no?

Another uncomfortable weekend for Chris Huhne. On the same morning he popped up to question David Cameron’s judgement in employing Andy Coulson, his own personal failings were laid bare across two newspapers. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but it’s pretty rich from someone using emotional blackmail against his teenage son. Huhne threatened him that his mother will go to jail, in a bid to try and get the A-level student to silence her. The police have the messages as a key piece of evidence…

In the election Huhne used pictures of his infant family in his campaign literature, just weeks later he would be exposed for cheating on them. “Where would he be without his family?” one leaflet asked. Well on the moral high-ground for starters.

A YouGov poll has shown that 60% of the public doubt Huhne’s story, with only 5% believing he is innocent of the original speeding offence. 40% say he should walk right now. The lengths to which Huhne is ready to go, to save his career, including using his children as a human-shield against his wife, shows just what sort of man we are dealing with here.

As the weeks go on and the evidence piles up, you will see the true make of the man when he is cornered… 

Incorporated on Friday. Will the Sun rise in Wapping soon?

See also: “And on the Seventh Day Murdoch Created…“