Sources close to Boris tell Guido that they find the Political Scrapbook story about secret meetings between Boris and Murdoch minions, as well as the Great Satan himself, popping up now a little bizarre. Given the details of the “secret meetings” were released into the public domain in summer 2011 following a Freedom of Information request which can still be seen on the Mayor’s website here you can understand why.

Scrapbook claim that it still doesn’t explain why no mention of it on the GLA gifts and hospitality register, that would be because the meeting with Murdoch was Boris dropping in late for a coffee at the end of a meal. Even a billionaire’s coffee should come in at less than the £25 threshold for declarations as per the rules:

“1(a)(viii) Any gifts or hospitality I have received from any person which has an estimated value of £25 or more.”

What about the secret lunch with Will Lewis and Rebekah Brooks? Close to Boris sources say that was nothing to do with him in his capacity as Mayor, that was them trying to lure him away from his Telegraph column to write a column for The Times. It was a private lunch on a Friday afternoon…

What puzzles Guido about Political Scrapbook running a year old story is: Why didn’t they run it in the heat of the election campaign when it might have had a dramatic impact? It is almost as if they didn’t want Ken to win…