The BBC has got its hands on the Scruton Tapes, a recording of the interview that ended his brief Government career. It has become clear that Scruton’s words were massively misrepresented by The New Statesman‘s George Eaton in his search for a scalp. Sections of Scruton’s unedited comments morning were played this morning on the Today Programme with the caveat that “we don’t know whether that recording was stolen or not.” Cut straight to the juicy bits with Guido…

Sir Roger’s China comments and his response to them:

Sir Roger’s Orban comments and his response to them:

Scruton went on in the interview to say that

“I am a conservative thinker, well known as such. Outspoken, but reasonable in my view. There has been throughout this country. and throughout Europe really, an attempt to silence the conservative voice. We get identified, caricatured, demonised, and made to look as though we are some kind of sinister fascist racist kind of people.

And as soon as the Conservative Party sees one of us being demonised in this way they rush to disassociate themselves from us.”

Listen to the full interview as broadcast here…

UPDATE: The Evening Standard is reporting that Eaton is taking a “temporary break” from the New Statesman. “To let stuff die down”…