Much has been made of the Scottish Sun’s apparent decision to say no to freedom for Scotland over recent days. The Indy reported that “Rupert Murdoch’s interest in winning independence for Scotland has ended” as the paper “will not be backing independence”. It seems they’ve jumped the gun. Today the Scottish Sun have released a statement insisting it is “far too early” to make a decision on whether to back the yes or the no camp. One to keep an eye on…

First day in the job and already the Tories are complaining to Lord Hall. Media Guido has a letter sent by Tory MP Dominic Raab complaining about the “market trader” David Bennett who was used by the Today Programme to put that question to IDS. Like many, Raab is confused as to where the Beeb found Bennett and what checks were done. He asks:

1. How was Mr Bennett selected by the BBC for this interview?
2. What background checks were made by the BBC to ensure the veracity of Mr Bennett’s claims?
3. Mr Bennett claims that he ‘put a comment on [the BBC website] saying David Cameron can stick his Big Society where the sun doesn’t shine’. Why did the BBC not take this as an indication that his claims merited deeper examination?
4. Why did the BBC not act to ensure that Mr Bennett was not left vulnerable to media criticism of his personal circumstances?
5. Was the BBC contacted at any point by the Labour Party or any third party campaign groups before the interview was broadcast?
6. Will the BBC be investigating this incident, to ensure that in future all interviews broadcast meet the highest standards of impartiality and accuracy?

The question to IDS was fair enough, but given Bennett claimed that he was working 70 hours a week for less that three thousand pounds per year, you can see where Raab is coming from. A bit too late though…

Rule number one when wading into a debate on welfare, don’t do this:

Former Tory MP Edwina Currie says SHE could live on £53 a week. Asked her to talk to @5_News about it, she wanted 500 quid—
Nick Frost (@nicholasfrost) April 02, 2013

Doh…

An interesting snippet from the Press Gazette interview with Richard Ingrams, who reflects on Private Eye:

“It’s very, very different from what it used to be, I think the satirical part of it is different – it’s become a lot of little pieces as opposed to a few quite long pieces. It’s much more bang, bang, bang. There’s a lot more factual stuff than there used to be, particularly at the front of the magazine. I find I could do with less of it. I think Ian Hislop’s attitude is that the punters have to be given their money’s worth but you do feel slightly that every page is crammed with as much copy or jokes as you could get in.”

Ingrams, who is 75, ended his official involvement with Private Eye at the beginning of 2012 when he gave up as chairman, though he points out that this was always an “honorary” title after he stood down as editor in 1986. Although Ingrams appointed Hislop to replace him, he also suggests that perhaps it is time for his successor to start thinking about stepping down – “I’m a great believer in resigning”.

Guido is hearing more and more moaning about l’enfant terrible turned BBC six figure game keeper. A subject he shall return to…

Today’s Sun is packed with politics: read Louise Mensch on the Labour MPs who condemned her for “abandoning her constituents” but are now praising David Miliband, and Danny Alexander on “Labour’s better-off bedroom blockers”. In Guido’s column:

• David Miliband’s cursed followers
• Balls keeping his distance from toxic “Mr McBride”
• McPoison’s row with a Labour candidate
• Stella Creasy coy over her ambitions
• Boozy Tory MPs partying with young Conservatives
• Burnham’s fearful cagefight
• The Treasury has a secret-spy in the Foreign Office

All for only 50p. Happy Easter!

Goodbyes are flooding in to one of the nicest blokes in politics, seasoned telly hack Glen Oglaza, who is leaving SkyNews today.

Glen says he is “open to interesting well-paid offers”, and that “the time is right” to move on.

Another favourite face from Sky gone.

Just a week after Guido wrote in the Sun that they’d need to send a warship to regulate this blog, his local paper reports that an US aircraft carrier is on course for Wexford. Apparently talks are taking place for the vessel to be stationed of the Irish coast this summer for the fiftieth anniversary of JFK’s visit. They’ll never take us alive…

Local Tories have managed to get an apology out of the BBC for their use of the term “Bedroom Tax” on BBC Look North.  Economic and Social Affairs Correspondent reporter Jayne Barrett told Pendle Conservatives that she was “told off” by her boss and emailed to asking them to “please accept my apology”. Given the widespread use of the term all over the airwaves, perhaps someone more senior might like to apologise for misleading viewers…

Copious booze, staff nicking mementos and partygoers scoring in the studios; the Beeb’s Television Centre goodbye party sounds like a night to remember. Or, more likely, forget:

At the BBC’s “goodbye TVC party”… did a nostalgic walk of the donut & heard someone shagging in one of the offices. Sackable offence?—
Helen Williamson (@helcatwill) March 21, 2013

In a stairwell at TV Centre, drunk watching Madness. Might smoke indoors. It's that kind of night.—
Julia Raeside (@JNRaeside) March 22, 2013

@KieronMoyles Hahahha. We have bought all the wine we can afford from the bar. A proper wake.—
Julia Raeside (@JNRaeside) March 22, 2013

Meanwhile today half the hacks in the BBC’s swanky new studio are on strike over job cuts. Happy Easter weekend…

Dodgy Darius Guppy, last heard asking Boris for the address of a Screws hack he wanted to give a bit of a kicking, has let rip at Eddie Mair in a great scoop for the Speccie this afternoon:

“And then Mr Mair attacks the Mayor of London for agreeing, when in his mid twenties, to supply a friend – me – with the address of a News of the World journalist so that the journalist in question can be given the hiding which most of us secretly admit such people deserve. Tell me, Mr Mair, if a piece of tabloid scum wished to smear members of your family, what would you do? Cry? Report him to the Press Complaints Commission? As we all know, Mr Johnson never provided me with any address and it is perfectly clear from the tape recording in question that he was simply placating a friend he considered to be letting off steam. But while this may rightly exonerate the Mayor of London, my own line has always been somewhat different – and consistent: my only regret being that I was never able to finish the job.”

He seems pretty angry still, and has some harsh words for the his old chum:

“The jokes and fun were all very well but the Boris Johnson I knew liked ideas and ideas are what we need now, more than at any time since World War II. The rest of the now prominent nonentities among our contemporaries – the politicians in particular – were simply incapable of ‘big’ or new ideas to an extent which, as a widely-travelled man, I have seen in no other society. It is upon ideas therefore that I suggest he focus, not on an office to which no honour attaches nor any real power. So too he must cherish the mother of his children and the family God has given to him. A career has been made by pretending that Ian Hislop is actually funny and a general dumbing down.”

Just what the Mayor needs to make this story go away.