Following Guido pointing out that Emily Thornberry has spent over £50,000 of taxpayers’ cash asking ministers 350 questions about their spending, it seems the government has wised up to Labour’s ruse. The latest answer to one of Lady Nugee’s questions, courtesy of the Cabinet Office, cites Labour’s historic government spending on civil service refreshment. Thornberry asked:

“what items were purchased from Majestic Wine on 14 August 2019; and for what purpose were they required?”

Here’s Alex Burghart’s reply…

“As has been the case under successive Administrations, refreshments are allowed to be purchased for use at official government functions held for external guests. Due to the passage of almost four years since the transactions were made, the itemised information requested is not held.

Given the Rt Hon Member’s personal interest in Majestic Wine, I would also point her to examples of such routine spending from the last Labour Government, as evident from the £2,430 bills of 19 January 2009, Official Report, Col. 1089W; the £8,286 bill of 24 February 2009, Official Report, Col. 707W; and the £6,614 bills revealed at 13 September 2011, Official Report, Col. 1093W.”

It turns out that trailing a big exclusive investigation four days before publication opens you up to this sort of counterattack…