ImageThere has been a lot of discussion about the flawed elections in Russia. Guido reckons their democracy can’t be that bad if they will elect a Playboy playmate has been elected as one of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia MPs in the Duma. Guido has no idea what her manifesto was but he’d vote for Maria Kozhevnikova, 27.
She was a member of the youth wing of Putin’s political party United Russia, which is currently facing allegations of vote-rigging after this month winning a narrow overall majority in parliament. There have been suggestions that she is romantically linked to Putin. C’mon he’s no Berlusconi… is he?
Another Christmas-free card from the Bercows…
The former Mirror journalist whose testimony will painful to watch for Piers Morgan will be before Leveson on Wednesday morning. The day after Morgan.
In July Hipwell spoke out of his time at Morgan’s Mirror:
“I used to see it going on around me all the time when I worked at the Daily Mirror. I sat right next to the show business desk and there were some show biz reporters who did it as a matter of course, as a basic part of their working day. One of their bosses would wander up and instruct a reporter to `trawl the usual suspects’, which meant going through the voice messages of celebrities and celebrity PR agents. For everyone to pretend that this is some isolated activity found only at the News of the World is ridiculous, it’s just a lie.”
Said Showbiz Editor was one Mr. Richard Wallace who is also expected to give evidence this week. He is now the Mirror’s editor…
See also: Ex-Mirror Journalist Puts Morgan’s Denial in Doubt and Mirror Journo Speaks Out Against Morgan’s Version of Events
UPDATE: Sky’s digital-guru Neal Mann scooped Guido by about eight seconds. He’s pretty grumpy about this.
The rest of the media finally caught up with what Guido told you four hours ago: Morgan will be before Leveson this week. CNN have confirmed and Guido’s sources say the appearance is pencilled in for Tuesday. You can refresh yourself with Guido’s campaign to get to this point here. Morgan will deny phone-hacking under oath. What could possibly go wrong further down the line…
UPDATE: Rumour has it Morgan has asked to testify via video link from New York. He just can’t stop spinning. His rapidly declining audience will barely notice if he misses one show. Leveson should tell him to get on a plane. Morgan needs to be in the room with one hand on the bible…
There are 22 articles currently listed on Google News regarding this morning’s Education Select Committee. They all mention the appearance of Rod Bristow, president of Pearson UK. The publishers own the exam board Edexcel, as well as the Financial Times.
While the Telegraph, Times, Guardian, BBC and PA are running with the grilling that Bristow got, there is absolute silence, once again, from the FT’s Education Correspondent Christopher Cook. It’s not as if he hasn’t been filing copy, a piece by him about other matters went on the website at 3:51 pm. Plenty of time until deadline though…
