Yesterday’s Daily Star Sunday column revealed further details about Osborne’s Class A habit and why the BBC’s coverage of it was a little subdued:

CHANCELLOR George Osborne was left red-faced when he was accused of trying to get away with sitting in the first-class carriage of a train with a standard-class ticket. His spokesman and Virgin Trains deny an argument ever took place, even though a witness says his aide tried it on. Osborne does have previous on bending the rules. The same thing happened back in May when a ticket inspector was high-fived by other passengers for refusing to let the multi-millionaire sit in first class without the correct ticket. Strangely, BBC news all but ignored Friday’s incident. Nothing to do with the aide in the spotlight being Poppy Mitchell-Rose – a former BBC employee who is dating Ben Wright, the BBC’s political correspondent.

Guido’s favourite story was the Shadow Public Health Minister’s morning tipple:

LATE-NIGHT TV star and part-time Shadow Minister Diane Abbott was up for an award last week for the “Best Politician on Twitter”. Eyebrows were raised at the nomination, given that Abbott came very, very close to losing her job in January when she was embroiled in a racism row after tweeting blanket insults about all “white people”. There were even more eyebrows raised at the example set by the Shadow Public Health Minister who, upon arriving at the posh ceremony, immediately tucked into the champagne. At 8am.

You can now read the rest of Guido’s Sunday column online here.

The Telegraph has this afternoon published a story claiming that GNM is ‘close to axing the print editions of the Guardian and Observer’.  It is a rehash of a blog written on a small advertising website.

I can confirm this is completely untrue.

The newspaper makes up two thirds of our revenue and remains core to our strategy.  The figures for going digital only and abandoning print simply don’t add up.

As David pointed out in his email this morning, Guardian content is accessed by 5.8m across print, web and mobile in GB every week – more than any other national quality title, including the Telegraph.

This is something that we should all be incredibly proud of.

Andrew

Surprise at Guardian towers that Telegraph's untrue story about the Guardian is still on the website. Will it run in print?—
Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) October 17, 2012

Rusbridger’s sword of truth has spoken…

Rusbridger’s broadband poll tax was laughed all the way out of Guardian HQ when it was floated through David Leigh last month, the family silver is being sold off and up to seventy hacks face the sack. Now media analysts are reporting that, for the first time, the paper’s bosses are seriously considering ditching the print edition altogether in favour of an all-digital operation. Rusbridger has been left isolated by the Scott Trust, GNM’s owners, and is reportedly close to becoming the only person left on the company’s board opposed to signing the newspaper’s death warrant. This could be the beginning of the end…

UPDATE: Rusbridger himself says it’s untrue.

Telegraph story abt the Guardian bit.ly/PBQSzq simply untrue. Largely copied from bit.ly/T0dGYZ Also untrue—
alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) October 17, 2012

Never believe anything until it’s officially denied…

First Tory Party conference ever where the leader didn't attend the Royal British Legion reception. What took priority? #DailyStarSunday—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 14, 2012

They say you can't posthumously strip Jimmy Savile of his title – yes you can – we've found a precedent #DailyStarSunday—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 14, 2012

What has Downing Street's Craig Oliver got in his diary that makes him unsackable? #DailyStarSunday—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 14, 2012

Who aspires to be the "madman in authority" and Governor of the Bank of England? #DailyStarSunday—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 14, 2012

"Leaders Wives" fashion review #DailyStarSunday—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 14, 2012

It looks like an Independent on Sunday journalist is set for an acrimonious departure from the struggling paper. Last month music hack Simon Price was left strapped for cash after the Sindy, clearly feeling the effects of a 19% drop in circulation year-on-year, failed to pay him on time. MediaGuido understands that the money eventually came through, but last night Price was told he had to accept a 25% pay cut or face the axe. Price himself is refusing to comment. Watch this space…

Meanwhile over at Guardian towers Alan Rusbridger’s economy drive has hit a stumbling block.

Guardian bosses had hoped around 100 hacks would accept voluntary redundancy, but only a mere 30 came forwards.

Meaning 70 face the sack…

In the column this week:

The Champers ban at Tory Conf is off – find out why. Justine Greening's local financial difficulty. Buy the #DailyStarSunday #CPC12—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 07, 2012

Craig Oliver's career prospects, CCHQ's eye-rolling over disaffected Ashcroft and more… Buy the #DailyStarSunday #CPC12—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 07, 2012

The big media move today sees the Telegraph set up its new girls-only Wonder Women feature. Promising “sassy, irreverent and intelligent content about politics, business, family, life and sex”, the new women’s section has attracted an array of talent. Edited by tech hack Emma Barnett, Wonder Women’s star recruitments include comedian Katy Brand and Cathy Newman from Channel 4 News. Former high class call girl Belle de Jour, now known as Brooke Magnanti, will be talking sex and entrepreneur Emma Sinclair is giving business advice.

They’re only available online…

If you had picked up your Daily Star Sunday yesterday you would already know all about Ed’s x-rated argument with his wife Justine:

“It has happened to us all – you’re about to leave home for an important appointment and you can’t find your bits and bobs. Midweek, Guido was told Ed Miliband “came into my opticians wanting new contact lenses in a hurry. Couldn’t wait. His wife was swearing at him ‘They’re your lenses. You f**king lost them’. He was well flustered”. If you had a big speech to read from an autocue, you would be too.”

Elsewhere you can read all about the latest on Labour’s three red princes, Harriet Harman’s take on Fifty Shades of Grey and which fraternal figure will be leaving Manchester early. Yesterday’s column is now online here.

On the train to Manchester Guido turned his attention to tonight’s fun and games: mainly crashing the Guardian party again and worshipping at the alter of Alan. Sadly, upon inquiring when and where the shindig was going down, he was informed that this year’s party had been cancelled due to staff cuts. Apparently it was “thought it would look bad so not doing any conference receptions this year”. Troubled times…

With News International still licking their wounds, it looks like the Sky News party is going to be the place to be.

This week’s commentariat death match is brought to you courtesy of old enemies. In the money-making redtop corner we have the Sun, in the loss-making blue corner we have the Guardian. Following David Leigh’s crazy poll tax proposal earlier this week, the Sun‘s editorial today took no prisoners:

“Those deluded and arrogant hand-wringers at The Guardian have come up with a bonkers scheme to impose a tax on broadband users to fund money-haemorrhaging publications like their own. We have a more sensible proposal. Why not simply put together a product that excites and engages the British public.”

Touché…