The entire “gag” email sent to Grant Shapps by the BBC spin team two weeks ago has been leaked:

The incorrect “editorial reasons line” was still being pushed then.

Via Mail Online

This was sent around by CCHQ yesterday to Tory MPs

From: Park, Nick

Sent: 10 October 2012 11:28

To: Park, Nick

Subject: Andrew Mitchell

There is a journalist ring round under way asking MPs for their opinions on Andrew Mitchell. Please do not respond to these surveys – they are very unhelpful.

The line to take remains that Andrew Mitchell has apologised and that apology has been accepted by the Police and the Prime Minister; Andrew Mitchell is getting on with his job.

Nick

The PM will have to make up his mind before Monday. Surprising how many MPs and even Cabinet Ministers are openly sceptical he can survive…

Via: Jon Craig

Shapps’ CCHQ goes negative. Expect two more years of this…

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

As the fallout from Clegg’s singing dominates Westminster, Vince Cable’s own positioning on the mea culpa has been forgotten. One line of CCHQ’s internal press summary for last night really sticks out. The internal blue verdict on Vince’s Newsnight appearance is stinging:

“Cable was serious [sic] roasted and further damaged the Lib Dems in an attempt to cover himself.” 

No sympathy there it seems…

Have you ever landed a fancy new job and then got stuck wondering just how you are going to reshuffle the team below you? Well fear not, internet guru Grant Shapps has just the solution for you. Watch with amazement as the new Tory top dog announces his beefed up team:

Deputy Chairman:

• Sarah Newton MP

Vice Chairmen:

• Alok Sharma MP – BME Communities
• Richard Harrington MP – Campaign Finance
• Bob Neill MP – Local Government
• Michael Fabricant MP – Parliamentary Campaigning
• Nicola Blackwood MP –  Social Action
• Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP – International Affairs
• Alan Lewis – Business
• Andrew Stephenson MP – Youth

With rebellious LibDem getting promoted, note Blackwood and Clifton-Brown keep their jobs despite voting against the whips on Lords reform. No such luck for Conor Burns and Angie Bray…

If Grant Shapps’ first press release is anything to go by, not much has changed in the Party Chairman’s office over at CCHQ. Tory spinners are keen to point out that he has been kicking some arse in his first few days. Unhappy with the thumb-twiddling Corby campaign that he has inherited, the new Chairman has been sending out overly optimistic memos to all approved candidates compelling them to come and meet him on the front-line this weekend. “He’s not giving them much of a choice, it’s a clear sign of a new regime at CCHQ.” Same old lines being pumped out though…

Guido called BS on Grant Shapps’ claim yesterday on the Daily Politics that his tie cost £4, but low and behold the new Tory Chairman has published the receipt:

This sartorial butchery shows just how much the party has changed.

Strong steer from Downing Street sources that Baroness Warsi about to become ex-Tory party chairman #bbcdp—
Andrew Neil (@afneil) September 03, 2012

Not too late to call for The Miner…

This morning on ConservativeHome Alistair Thompson reported that beleaguered Tory chairman Baroness Warsi was both “on holiday” and “destined for demotion“. A few hours later CCHQ went out of their way to deny one of those claims:

In the comments Thompson says CCHQ emailed ConHome to refute that Warsi was currently on a summer break, but gave no such rebuttal that she is facing the chop in the Autumn reshuffle. Telling…