Guido is wondering how long Derek Draper will be able to keep a low profile with his latest venture into the political world. It goes against his style and his “progressive publishers” is a tank on the lawn in the political book market – Iain Dale’s Biteback operation. A page-binding source said of Derek “first he wanted to be Guido, now he wants to be Iain Dale.” 

Guido wonders whether Ruskin will be a bit more successful than Dolly’s previous ventures Flow Video and the me-too Groupon-clone start-up GoodyPass, that he’s running with his wife Kate fronting it. We can’t really see how the new venture is doing given that the company behind it – Fulfill Media Ltd, the renamed Flow Video Ltd, claims in a Companies House filing that, despite being in business over a year, it is non-trading and has as yet produced no accounts. Hmm…

As ever rumours abound as to Derek Draper’s financial situation, Kate’s pay cut won’t have helped and an internet start-up like GoodyPass is certain to not be turning a profit. Will his new publishing business do any better? As Guido reported on Friday the company has launched Tangled Up In Blue – a critique of Blue Labour – which is unlikely to have an appeal beyond left-wing wonks. The website states “no unsolicited manuscripts” which seems a little odd for a publishing house which presumably would thrive on publishing manuscripts. It would however be a lot of hassle one supposes and also involve hard work. Nevertheless rumours are swirling of an investment and help from Tom Baldwin’s millionaire heiress wife, Rebecca Nicolson. (Guido is awaiting confirmation as to whether Nicholson, who has her own publishing house Short Books, has put up the money for Draper. Suffice to say that as we go to pixel she hasn’t denied it)

If Derek’s previous relationship with Labour Party spin-doctors is anything to go by, this will surely be a recipe for disaster…