Samuel Jackson makes it work…

Guido understands the Department for Education inquiry into the Scilly school scandal is gathering pace and there will be “boots on the ground” shortly. The revolution that is rocking the South West is progressing nicely, with the locally loathed tin pot dictator/council chief executive Philip Hygate forced onto the airwaves this morning to deny he is overseeing a “climate of fear” on these once pleasant archipelago. His defence for why he should remain in his jobs was laughable. Jobs that is, not job – he’s also the checks and balances arm of the council. As monitoring officer,  Hygate gets to investigate the numerous complaints about himself. Apparently the job is “a burden” and yet he felt by carrying out the role himself he was saving the council money. His concern for saving cash wasn’t quite so evident when he rammed through a 20% pay rise last year.

Just as Gaddafi told his people: “I am not going to leave this land. I will die as a martyr at the end. I shall remain, defiant”, Hygate is digging in. We all know how it went for the Colonel, though at this rate Hygate will be facing cuffs rather than a bullet.

In a new development tonight, in what is the local government equivalent of fleeing across the border to Niger with a truck full of gold, the embattled chief exec is demanding £40,000 for the 100 days of unclaimed holiday that he’s been building up for years as something of a rainy day fund. The rules state that a maximum of 5 days can be accrued. Councillors will vote on the matter at 6pm tonight. That would be nice stash to fall back on were he forced to flee to the mainland… 

Read the whole saga that Guido broke in May, leaving the BBC, Guardian and Telegraph chasing, here.

The Guidogram round-up of the week is going out shortly.

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Michael Green / Grant Shapps and @MattChorley currently busy chatting away over a nice lunch DoubleTree Hotel terrace bar…—
Eye Spy MP (@eyespymp) September 27, 2012

@ShippersUnbound @eyespymp @MattChorley yeah I was like a fish out of water, with no Nandos to eat —
Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 27, 2012

Matt looking less than convinced by Shapps / Green lines such as 'y'know it was 15 years ago… in 1997… blown all out of proportion'.—
Eye Spy MP (@eyespymp) September 27, 2012

They’re having a bit of a nightmare over at Political Scrapbook towers this afternoon. Borrowing a quote from the Racing Post, the lefty blog ran a story that David Cameron had snubbed a phone call with Barack Obama because he was playing tennis with Rebekah Brooks’ husband, Charlie. Funny they weren’t so vocal about Gordon Brown pathetically begging Obama five times for a fifteen minute meeting in a kitchen, or Tony Blair bombing countries on the whim of an American president. In terms of the special relationship, a stand-up-for-yourself Hugh Grant-style approach should surely be cheered…

In any case, it looks like the story has little foundation anyway:

No10 'baffled' by claim Cameron snubbed Obama call for tennis game. No calls from president during 3 weekends Brooks stayed at Chequers—
James Chapman (Mail) (@jameschappers) September 27, 2012

No10 source: 'Calls between PM and president are scheduled by officials, there's an agenda. This story simply can't be true.'—
James Chapman (Mail) (@jameschappers) September 27, 2012

Doh!

UPDATE: King of spin Damian McBride has another explanation:

I'm guessing Obama wasn't really on the phone & that's just the pre-agreed 'out' the clerks always give Cam once a meeting has run an hour.—
Damian McBride (@DPMcBride) September 27, 2012

Surprise, surprise – Dave will not be using his party conference speech to tackle the issue of an EU referendum. Instead, Nick Robinson is being briefed that the PM will make a “major speech” on Europe before the EU leaders’ summit in December. Where have we heard that one before…

With cast iron Cam backtracking already, it has reached the stage that whatever he says won’t be enough. Today has seen more speculation about a Tory-UKIP pact. But now Cameron seems even further away from making a promise signed in blood…

Chasing Guido’s scoops on Euan Blair and Will Straw seeking office, Andy McSmith over at the Indy has thrown another name in the Nepotistic Labour legacy mix:

“Joe Dromey, younger son of Harriet Harman and Jack Dromey, is devoting a lot of time to work in the safe Labour seat of Lewisham Deptford, where the sitting MP, Joan Ruddock, will be 71 come the election.”

Shudder.

Mummy, Daddy and baby piggy all with their snouts in a Labour rotten-borough trough.

Fun fact about Jack Dromey – he cheats in pub quizzes.

Read in to that what you will…

David Laws’ landlord/lover Jamie Lundie, who gained notoriety following the revelations over his partner’s expenses in 2010, has made an intriguing job move this week. Lundie has left his post as Edelman’s public affairs MD to a less conspicuous position at the spinmeisters’ new reputation and risk advisory division. Why could that be?

According to PRWeek the Cabinet Office had raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest arising from Law’s promotion to the Department for Education, with a government spokesman confirming: “Immediately on appointment to ministerial office and at Laws’ instigation, Laws had a meeting with the Cabinet Office director of propriety and ethics to discuss the handling of his interests”. Lundie is denying his job change has anything to do with any conflict of interest. But then he is a spinner…

There is no love lost between the Sun and the Guardian. 

See the latest skirmish over on Media Guido.