Labour unveiled their new slogan last week.

Oops…

Dawn was parachuted in to replace Our Man in Soweto, Paul Boateng. Its a safe seat, but its still normal to let the voters decide before getting ahead of yourself. Tsk, tsk, can’t you wait 10 more days?

UPDATE: Dawn has turned to dusk – the website has now disappeared.

Hat Tip to Tim Ireland.

Fatty Soames is the chief suspect as the source of those “shadow cabinet disquiet about immigration” stories that did the rounds last week.

This has been a long time in gestation, mainly due to lack of information and the fact that most of Tory HQ is so young nobody knows or indeed cares about them. Guido has therefore, of necessity, widened his schematic to include Howard’s campaign team.
Rachel Whetstone, Howard’s attractive leggy political secretary can be seen bossing him along on the campaign trail, single but married to the job. Used to be Howard’s SpAd at the Home Office, before switching to doing PR for Noddy and Big Ears – must resist the temptation to compare her work for fantasy characters and… Known to journalists at The Times apparently as “the Cat in the Hat”, but Guido likes to think of her as “Puss in Boots”.
David Cameron, head of policy co-ordination, is allegedly being groomed by Howard to succeed him. Educated at Eton and Oxford, with several MPs in the family, but “Dave” styles himself as a fresh-faced cuddly new Tory. He is another key member of the Notting Hill Set, always on telly putting the Tory case, firmly but gently.
George Bridges, head of research and development, operates the “grid” (how very New Labour). Worked for John Major as a speechwriter (bet that is not on his CV) and was an editorial writer on The Times.
Guy Black, director of media. Former secretary of the Press Complaints Commission. Sharp dresser whose boyfriend is Mark Bolland, former aide to Prince Charles.
Stephen Sherbourne, chief of staff. The old queen in Victoria street, has worked for Edward Heath and Thatcher, as her political secretary. Ex-associate of Thatcher’s PR guru Sir Tim Bell.
Lynton Crosby, Australian election guru, his business card carries the motto: “When you give advice, seek to help, not to please.” The legend is that he brought John Howard from behind to victory on the sly, the reality is that John Howard had a few dodgy polls against him, but had led through most of the election. Crosby is good, but not a miracle worker.
Sheridan Westlake is an interesting character. He has overall responsibility for the Tory website – fact – his real name is Nick and he does not like to be asked about canvassing for old people’s votes (in Guildford). Ann Nunan is head of the computer department and oversees the techy side. But Guido is not sure who does the piss-poor emails, but he would like to know who is to blame. (Take a look at Zack’s emails, learn from ‘em.)
Lord Saatchi has had a lower profile in the media during the campaign proper, but the latest Blair smirk adverts “take the look off his face“ stuff is demon eyes all over again. Some reports of tension with Crosby. Steve Hilton is helping m’Lord out.
Liam Fox is on the box putting the case often. Guido doesn’t rate Fox and can’t believe that he sees himself as a potential successor to Howard. God help the Tories…
Andrew Rosindell heir to the mantle of Tebbit, is an extraordinary campaigner. Is becoming a left-wing hate figure, but Guido has money on him becoming Mayor of London in the future. One to watch.

Send revisions and additions to guido.fawkes@order-order.com

Next week will be focused on Iraq if everyone but Blair and Campbell have their way. The LibDems, the only party that has been consistent and truthful on the issue, plan to make it the issue du jour Monday to Friday. According to Campbell’s emailed leaked memo to the Sunday Times, the Labour spin will be that Saddam would still be in power rather than in prison. The problem with that argument for Labour is that a lot of their activist base would rather not have seen British soldiers fighting and dying alongside the Yanks in Iraq and detests Blair for cosying up to Bush. They would rather have let Saddam stay in power than have the U.S. marines in Baghdad. The LibDems have to target their message to those disaffected Labour voters. For anti-War voters the choice is vote LibDem, Green or stay at home.

Hmmm. Guido reckons he knows from where Cowley Street got the idea for that clever “Labour for war“ graphic.

A reader emailed Guido about Blair’s admission to Paxman regarding David Kelly “I don’t believe we had any option but to disclose his name“. Guido was a bit slow and missed the point (sorry Ron), but further reflection suggests it is was significant. In January 2004, Peter Oborne wrote a Spectator cover story calling Blair a liar and charging that he chaired the meeting where it was decided to reveal David Kelly’s name, which led to his suicide. Al Campbell’s diaries also shed some light on the matter. The spin counter attack was fierce, Oborne was ferociously rubbished by Blairites, in retrospect the critical paragraph of Oborne’s piece appears verified by Blair himself.

But it seems impossible to avoid the conclusion, on the basis of the evidence before the inquiry, that Tony Blair personally played the primary executive role in the sequence of events that led to the naming of Dr Kelly and onwards to his death in an Oxfordshire field. Two or three days after Kelly’s suicide, the Prime Minister was asked, ‘Did you authorise anyone in Downing Street or in the Ministry of Defence to release David Kelly’s name?’ He replied: ‘Emphatically not.’ He was asked again: ‘Why did you authorise the naming of David Kelly?’ He answered: ‘That is completely untrue.’ It is said around Whitehall that these two responses form no part of Lord Hutton’s investigation, since the Prime Minister uttered them after Dr Kelly’s death. I have racked my brains over Tony Blair’s answers for ages, but have been unable to avoid the conclusion that he was lying.

Under pressure witnesses tell police interviewers or cross-examining barristers the truth inadvertently. Being grilled by Paxman is exactly like that, did Blair let the truth slip under pressure on live TV?

UPDATE: Michael Ancram has written to Blair asking him to clarify his comments. Should be easy – “I fibbed”.

The questions seem a bit selective, but it is a handy device from the makers of public whip. Maybe a question about taxes would be helpful?