Speculation is mounting this afternoon that George Osborne has been relieved of his role as Tory party strategy chief. When asked earlier if he had given up the role the Chancellor revealed: “I only have one job“.
Guido put it to Osborne’s people that their man no longer holds the stategy role within the Conservative Party. His spokesman said: “He’s only ever had one role – Chancellor. Not signalling any change“. That explains it…
UPDATE:
A No.11 source gets in touch in regard to Osborne being in strategy meetings: “There’s nothing wrong with having a Prime Minister and Chancellor who get on and work together. The last lot could barely speak to each other and look where that got us!“
Fresh from having the debate on their survival kicked into the long grass, the 765 peers sitting in the House of Lords will celebrate by taking a 10-week summer holiday this evening.
The House rises until October 8th, meaning that its members will have to wait to enjoy the £175,000 of taxpayers’ money they have just spent on revamping the decor in their parliamentary offices. Our dosh has been spent on dozens of new pieces of art and statues, including a bust of Prince Philip and a painting of the Jubilee procession. Come back Nick, all is forgiven…
Polly Toynbee was on particularly dramatic form yesterday as she attacked council tax benefit reforms in the Guardian. However those revisiting her scaremongering online today might notice one glaring correction:
“This article was amended on 24 July 2012. The original said households in Haringey would lose £38 per week. That has been corrected to £38 per year”
There is a very big difference between people losing £1,976 a year, as Polly tried to spin, and losing £38 per year, as is actually happening. The percentage increase between the two numbers is 5100%*. Aside from reckless scaremongering and horrendous Guardian subbing, Toynbee’s article dismisses that these reforms will save the taxpayer £480m a year. So it is official – Polly is 5100% wrong.
* ( ( £1,976 – £38 ) / £38 ) * 100 = 5100%
Chancellor Zero says there are no excuses.
At least he did the TV interviews himself this time…
Twitter will release the personal information of a spoof account holder to a Daily Mail subsidiary.
Read the latest developments only over on Media Guido…
Guido understands that Twitter will hand over the personal details of the Steve Auckland spoof account holder to Northcliffe Media after refusing to back him in his legal dispute with the Daily Mail subsidiary. On Monday Guido published the subpoena filed against Twitter demanding the release of the name, address, phone number and IP address of the account’s author, while Northcliffe chief executive Auckland launched a witch hunt to find the perpetrator. Despite Twitter’s terms of service stating that personal data is the property of the individual and not the company they appear to have abandoned their client, telling him:
“Twitter will do so [release the information] on August 1, 2012. If requested, we can provide copies of any records disclosed. We note that civil procedure does permit you to either file your motion to quash or to serve your objections on the requesting party directly. Twitter cannot provide any advice other than to contact an attorney.”
A lone individual left hung out to dry by a billion-dollar US company as a UK newspaper company tries to stifle his freedom of speech. Guido really hopes it turns out to be someone very close to the boss…
