Guido told you yesterday that Portsmouth LibDems were making noises about their disgraced MP and councillor Mike Hancock, but it seems the local Tories are even more outraged by, not only the sex scandals, but also the potential breach of national security over his employee and suspected spy, Katerina Zatuliveter. LibDem Council Leader Gerald Vernon Jackson, who Guido had the pleasure of speaking with yesterday, refused to answer an emergency question concerning the Royal Naval base and information Mike Hancock had about  it in his capacity as a councillor responsible for local planning. Such information that could have been passed to the Russians…

The Tories down there are raging that Vernon Jackson was unable to give a clear assurance that he had never given Hancock, or sent his office, sensitive information. They staged a complete walk out of the full council meeting. Guido has to agree with the head of the Tory grouping Steve Wemyss, who put it bluntly – “Is there something the Leader is trying to hide?”