Well not very much if this afternoon’s debate on community hospitals is anything to go by…
The Guidogram round-up of the week is going out shortly.
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Guido just put the Cameron drinking wine while sacking Gillan story to No. 10. Joe Watts of the Eastern Daily Press writes:
“Gillan’s sacking interview also appears to have irked. When she went in Cameron wielded the proverbial axe while drinking a glass of wine, I’m told; chillaxing perhaps. He didn’t offer her any though.”
As fun as some of the puns have been, it’s an official denial:
“Not true. He wasn’t drinking wine when he saw Cheryl and didn’t tell Caroline Spelman she was too old. Her replacement is two years older so that doesn’t even make sense.”
But then Dave also said no one cried, contrary to reports.
It’s been hinted this afternoon that Gillan and Spelman might be offered peerages, they might want to think about going on the record to deny tears and wine if they want that to happen…
Guido was savaged when he wrote this piece back in May. No.10 denied the story on the basis that he hadn’t walked that day. Today the Prime Minister’s Spokesman Steve Field has announced he’s departing to join the IMF. A possible job Guido tweeted as follow up back in May. You’re either in front of Guido or…
UPDATE: Lest we forget what they said at the time:
N10 saying @MrHarryCole's report that Steve Field is standing down as Prime Minister's official spokesman is not true.He's doing lobby today
— Isabel Hardman (@IsabelHardman) May 15, 2012
@ShippersUnbound Have favourited this tweet.
— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) May 15, 2012
Smirk.
The news from Wandsworth Conservatives yesterday that a semi-independent inquiry into serious fraud covered up in the group has been greeted with scepticism by members involved in the exposing of the story. Two sources familiar with previous investigations are particularly unhappy. One emailed Guido saying:
“Every internal inquiry has produced a confidential damning report accompanied by a public “move along, nothing to see here” approach. They even made people sign gagging agreements in order to cover the discrepancies between the public smile and the internal stench. To reassure members and voters that Wandsworth Conservatives have not been complicit in fraud and electoral malpractice the Conservative Party need to commit to publishing the previous internal reports, this report in full and to rescind the previous gagging agreements. That those who know the facts and have been raising concerns have been ignored in this process points towards yet another attempted whitewash and yet another step closer to a full police and electoral commission investigation.”
Another added:
“Finally there is recognition of the huge black hole in the books. However, there is considerable concern amongst members that this inquiry is essentially just a way of killing a story before it gains any more traction. At the end of the day, the guy was sacked for charging thousands of pounds of personal taxi fares to party members and then falsifying accounts to cover it up. You don’t need to be a forensic accountant to work out that the law was broken, repeatedly.”
At the moment it would appear that the investigation’s findings will not be made public…
See also:
David Miliband is earning £500,000 a year and rarely takes part in the cut and thrust of Westminster any more, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the highest expenses claimants in the figures released by IPSA today. Miliband is the 20th greediest MP, trousering £170,500 in expenses over the last year. He needs it, they only pay him £116 a minute for his speeches…
Meanwhile the former Prime Mentalist claimed £127,197 despite the fact that he’s only spoken in one debate during the last twelve months.
Why are we paying so much for his travel when he never turns up?