Wherever Gordon goes, disaster follows.

All the Prime Mentalist did this time was meet with Rangers FC former owner David Murray, now 140-year-old club is facing liquidation.

Who will be his next victim…

Pic via @thenamesoni

Last week Gordon and a tiny number of loyalists took umbrage in this statement from the Cabinet Office:

“We confirm there is a record of only one call between Mr. Brown and Rupert Murdoch in the year to March 2010, on 10th of November 2009″.

They claimed this was complete vindication and proof that Gordon did not lie about the “declaration of war” phone call. However if that statement is compared to what was said at the time by Brown’s official civil service Prime Minister’s Spokesman, that vindication looks very shaky. The Guardian reported the following briefing to the Lobby on 12 November 2009, the day news of the official Murdoch/Brown call on November 10 had leaked:

“‘He [Brown] has regular communications with Rupert Murdoch, as you would imagine, and he has the most enormous personal regard for Rupert Murdoch,’ the prime minister’s official spokesman said. ’I am not going to give any further information about the conversation. I am commenting as much as I think I can about a personal conversation. There is nothing unusual in the prime minister talking to Rupert Murdoch.‘”

So there was contemporaneous confirmation from a civil service source that there were regular conversations between Murdoch and Brown prior to November 2009. In the light of the latest Cabinet Office statement saying that they have only have a record of one conversation, any such regular calls can only have been unrecorded and unmonitored. Add this to Peter Mandelson’s sworn statement that the “war” conversation took place and it is clear to all but Brown’s bunker buddies that last week’s statement in no way clears the Prime Mentalist…

The Cabinet Office has revealed details of Gordon Brown’s chats with Rupert Murdoch: “We confirm there is a record of only one call between Mr. Brown and Rupert Murdoch in the year to March 2010, on 10th of November 2009″. Despite the statement making it clear that no independent civil servant was on the call to take minutes, the Prime Mentalist is claiming that he’s in the clear: “This statement confirms Mr Brown’s evidence to the Inquiry”. Not quite.

Before people start crowing that Murdoch has committed perjury, Uncle Rupe told the Inquiry that Brown phoned him in September 2009, not November.  Given that Murdoch’s kids were having sleepovers at Chequers, we know full well that Gordon had a mobile phone…

#LevesonInquiry overheard at RCJ veteran hack: either the police or men in white coats should be waiting for GB when he finishes.—
adamboulton (@adamboultonSKY) June 11, 2012

Were his aides involved in trying to force Blair out. 'I would hope not'. Did he say they could 'No.' Does he know he is on oath?—
Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) June 11, 2012

Gordon Brown's comments on the activities of his press aides are prompting gasps of incredulity in the parliamentary lobby.—
tom bradby (@tombradby) June 11, 2012

Wow. He 'didn't know' about the September '06 plot. Wow. My ghast is well and truly flabbered #leveson—
Benedict Brogan (@benedictbrogan) June 11, 2012

No one on the Lobby corridor is even laughing at this display of disingenuous nonsense. The only sound is jaws hitting the floor—
Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) June 11, 2012

"We cannot learn the lessons about the media unless there is some honesty involved". Well quite. #leveson—
James Kirkup (@jameskirkup) June 11, 2012

What will James Gordon Brown's father think? Ex PM swore on bible to tell truth #leveson—
Nicholas Watt (@nicholaswatt) June 11, 2012

One is forced to conclude GB has a problem facing reality.—
tom bradby (@tombradby) June 11, 2012

Guilty, m’Lord.

WOW. Jeremy Hunt lifeline right there. Murdoch calls Brown unbalanced…—
Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) April 25, 2012

While Hunt waves/drowns in Parliament Murdoch has been shining some light on Brown. The key quote from when the Sun switched to supporting the Tories in in late 2009 Murdoch confirms that Brown called to say:

“Your company has declared war on my government and we have no alternative but to make war on your company. It never occurred to me that our lack of support for Brown would lead to obstacles in our plans for a takeover of BSkyB.”

A claim denied at the time…

When it emerged that Gordon Brown had made £1.4m since leaving office on the international speech circuit, his spinners were quick to point out claim that “not a single penny” had gone to Brown himself and instead it was all given to charity. But that’s not quite true.

The most recent set of abbreviated accounts for the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown (Ltd.) paint a different picture. Though they do not give a turnover, or how much actually went to charity, or how much was spent on “administration”,  they do show that at least 20,934,300 pennies are being held by the Browns in cash. No income tax on that…

We now live in a country where caviar is untaxed and a hot pasty is. Guido isn’t sure that’s quite the fairness agenda the government were trying to push and the continued budget hammering is well deserved and will be ongoing. A 10% drop in the latest polls suggests that raising taxes instead of cutting spending isn’t popular. Who knew?

Guido suspects Cornwall is now off Dave’s Easter holiday destination list. His government has fiscally attacked their national dish…

And just when the government are getting it in the neck, walking Tory liability and Young Conservative Chairman Ben Howlett goes out of his way to help matters:

Just the image the Tories want right now…

Well in his head at least…

See also: EMAIL LEAK: Balls’ Spinner Admits “Screw Up” But Briefs Opposite

Urgent Question in the House this morning @ChrisLeslieMP calling for a Budget leak inquiry—
Labour Press Team (@labourpress) March 22, 2012

Guido isn’t exactly sure why Labour are taking their eye off the bigger picture and making such a fuss about Budget leaks today. They are in a stronger position because of them, though it will win some brownie points with a bruised Bercow. Ernest little Chris Leslie has been granted the imminent Urgent Question, but Labour managed to leak the news that it had been secured on their Twitter account before it was announced by the Speaker’s office. So much for playing by the rules…

UPDATE:

Chris Leslie, one of Gordon Brown's former right hand men, shows brass neck by criticising Budget leaks as 'serious' and demanding inquiry.—
Kirsty Walker (@kirstywalker1) March 22, 2012

Not only did Leslie manage to keep a straight face, but he even managed to feign some anger.

A great spot by Emily Fox over at the Express:

Most unlike Gordon…