The Independent Press Standards Organisation has cleared the Sunday Mirror of any wrongdoing over the sexting sting on Tory MP Brooks Newmark. Despite unfounded allegations made by the the less popular elements of the Twittersphere and the sloppy journalism of Media Guardian, among others, the press regulator found that the use of subterfuge was justified. The ruling also accepted that the story was in the public interest because it exposed “serious impropriety” by Newmark.
The CEO of IPSO Matt Tee said:
“The editors’ code prohibits subterfuge unless in the public interest, and only then where there is no other practical means of obtaining the story. After a lengthy investigation we have found that the subterfuge used was justified at each stage of the investigation and publication was in the public interest.”
As Guido said all along, the story was legitimate and carried out in the public interest. Brooks Newmark was one of the founders of “Women2Win”, a campaign to get more Conservative women into politics. This was no fishing operation, it was a narrowly targeted effort. As the later revelations of his affair further proved, and IPSO have finally agreed, the investigation was justified. Subterfuge and clandestine methods will continue to be used to go after wrong ‘uns – there is no other way.
Entries in the comments please…
A record smashing 10th anniversary year with over 30 million visits to this site in 2014. The top ten traffic posts published this year were:
- THE RESHUFFLE: All the Sackings as They Happen
- WATCH: Former Tory Whip Boasts About Paedo Cover Up
- LISTEN: Miliband’s Radio Wiltshire Clusterf**k
- Khan Crash: Sadiq’s Rush Hour Horror
- Islington MP’s Rochester Culture Shock
- EXC: Gordon Brown Office Has £10,000-a-Week “Expenses”
- Brown Office Gives Just 1 in 4 Pounds Raised to Charity
- WATCH: Penny Mordaunt’s Loyal Address in Full
- Roll Call of Shame: Every MP Who Voted Against Recall
- UKIP’s Poster Girl Quits Party Citing Racism
Here are our favourite stories of the last 12 months:
Ten hours after Guido added the word “snob” to Emily Thornberry’s now infamous “Image from Rochester“, Labour’s Islington MP had resigned from the Shadow Cabinet. ‘Snobberry’ had “never seen anything like it“, making Ed “more angry than he has ever been” and incurring the wrath of White Van Dan. According to the BBC, it was Guido wot won it. And don’t miss the tale of Lady Nugee’s walled garden…
In the absence of a Twitter storm it took slightly longer to secure the resignation of David Ruffley. Guido had reported on Ruffley’s anger management problems before, yet the Tories were silent when he accepted a caution for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Despite Ruffers telling Guido he was “cheerful“, the people of Bury St. Edmunds demanded their MP do the decent thing, domestic violence charities called for his head and, crucially, the Dean of the local cathedral told him “your position is untenable”. In June Ruffley finally announced he would be standing down, and parliament was rid of another nasty piece of work…
2014 was a year when several Tory MPs found themselves in Guido’s crosshairs, none more so than Tim Yeo. From leadership contender to loser in nine years, this blog has been exposing Yeo’s absenteeism and conflicts of interest for the best part of a decade. In January Guido went to find troubled Tim, not in his Suffolk constituency, but in Sandwich in Kent, where he had “gone golfing“. The following month Yeo was deselected by his local party. Victory at last…
Last but not least, who can forget Brooks No-marks, the Tory women’s champion who sent a paisley-clad dick pic to our very own Sophie Wittams. Despite the wailing from the less popular parts of the press, a public service was confirmed when Brooks was revealed to have used the exact same modus operandi. Yes, yes, yes Minister.
Despite our detractors’ weak claims of bias, we’ve had a direct hand in ending the careers of three Tory MPs who had absolutely no intention of quitting in 2015. That’s 1% of the parliamentary party. Happy New Year, roll on that election.
Can he be Sy-rious? Disgraced dick pic MP Brooks Newmark has told friends “Brooks of Damascus is back” and that he will return to the ravaged country after 2015. Also in Guido’s column today:
- Dave’s Costly Long-Term Optometric Plan – new glasses from posh Chelsea store
- Government cuts hit Christmas trees… so Avid Javid privatises them at DCMS
- Hackney moonlighter Diane Abbott rakes in £600,000 from the British public since 2007!
- Sir Keir Starmer is Alastair Campbell’s next great hope
- Nigel Farage plans a tell-all book after the election
Click here to read Guido’s column for free with a free 30-day trial…
Brooks Newmark has conceded defeat over the plan to stand again in Braintree. Speaking to his local paper, Newmark claims “I am extremely flattered by the lovely messages of support from members of the public and my local party asking me to reconsider my decision to step down at the next election,” adding: “However, I have decided to stick with my original decision”. As Guido revealed earlier this week, Brooks had been “wavering”, but any attempt by him to stand again was blocked by high command. The Tories say the selection process in the seat will now resume “in the near future”. In the New Year… when local associations can have shortlists thrust upon them by CCHQ.
As Guido revealed in yesterday’s Sun on Sunday, the selection process in Braintree to replace disgraced dick pic king Brooks Newmark has been cancelled amid speculation he is planning the unlikeliest of comebacks. Brooks was spotted holding secret talks with his local association after concerns about the quality of the other candidates. Despite him promising post-parliament penance working for charity, he saw his chance. Tory sources confirm from Westminster that Brooks had been “wavering”, however, Guido understands any attempt by him to stand again has been blocked by high command: “It’s not going to happen”. Just as Guido was preparing to stand as the Pyjama Party candidate…
