From #Assange: The US warrant was issued in December 2017 and is for conspiracy with Chelsea Manning @xychelsea in early 2010.

— Jen Robinson (@suigenerisjen) April 11, 2019

Guido is surprised that Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t made a press statement regarding the arrest of Assange. The Labour leader’s communications chief should be able to get some insight into the situation from Jennifer Robinson, Assange’s lawyer, who is tweeting from inside the police station. Pictured above is Seumas Milne previously consulting with the blonde lawyer...

The left’s head honchos have never been adverse to a good party and this New Year was no exception with Unite boss Len McCluskey and Seumas Milne celebrating in style at the luxury Loch Fyne Hotel & Spa in Inveraray for a cool £429 a head. Len donned his not-very-proletarian black tie for the celebrations, Seumas looked more avant garde in a black turtleneck and chinos:

It wasn’t just a trip for the boys, Corbyn’s chief of staff Karie Murphy was also there to enjoy the Hogmanay celebrations on the shores of Loch Fyne. Close friends Len and Karie were spied holding hands on the way out of the bar and Guido’s kilt-wearing co-conspirator reports that the pair shared a room together. No doubt having late night policy discussions.

Len and Seumas were also spotted at what was billed as the “Chef’s Gala New Year’s Eve Dinner”. 

UPDATE: The “blonde” sat opposite Seumas is apparently Samantha Hemsley, partner at Thompson’s and Unite assistant general-secretary Howard Beckett’s long term relationship.

UPDATE II: Samantha Hemsley has contacted us to make clear she did not attend the event as Seumas Milne’s guest.

“I can confirm I am not in a long term ‘relationship’ with Howard Beckett. He is a close friend.”

A previous version of this story misidentified her picture. Apologies for the confusion.

A proud moment for the brocialists on Question Time tonight: Diane Abbott (former girlfriend of Jeremy Corbyn) appears alongside Jennifer Robinson (relationship status with Seumas Milne unknown). Jennifer’s last high profile public appearance was rather different:

Guess they’ll be watching Newsnight in the Milne household…

Seumas Milne’s relationship with Julian Assange’s lawyer has raised security concerns about the confidential intelligence briefings received by Jeremy Corbyn. As a member of the Privy Council, Labour have confirmed that Corbyn has received security briefings about threats to the UK. Given the links between Assange, Wikileaks, hacking and Russia, it is a quite extraordinary situation for the Leader of the Opposition’s main aide to be involved with Assange’s long-term lawyer. Imagine if Theresa May’s top adviser was in bed with someone on the Wikileaks defence team – it would be a national scandal on a par with Donald Trump Jr.

The Hacked Off brigade’s criticism doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Hugh Grant, Hugh Tomlinson QC et al argue there is no public interest. The Editor’s Code sets several public interest conditions, including “Protecting public health or safety” and “impropriety, unethical conduct or incompetence concerning the public”. The security concerns easily satisfy the “protecting public health” condition, and no one can argue married Seumas has behaved properly or ethically.

Robertson claims the story fails to meet the Editor’s Code rule that “It is unacceptable to photograph individuals, without their consent, in public or private places where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy”. Seumas and Jennifer were in a hotel bar with dozens and dozens of other drinkers. As you can see from the nervous look on Seumas’ “unwilling” face, there was patently no reasonable expectation of privacy. The press haters will have to suck it up – any regulator or judge would throw out a complaint in about five minutes…

Robert Mendick in The Telegraph has been speaking to ‘friends’ of Seumas Milne who say he was “not a willing participant” in the hour long public display of affection last Thursday night. Guido’s co-conspirator with the camera-phone says otherwise. The ‘friend’ says “I know the pictures tell a different story… But I know there is nothing going on. I don’t think it’s a quick snog. There may have been a bit of nuzzling on her part but if you look at Seumas’s face, you can see he is not a willing participant.” How did Jennifer Robinson get him to hold her head? Did she suck his tongue out of him against his will as well?

Guido suspects Cristina won’t believe him the ‘friend’ and given that Seumas did not do his usual post-PMQs briefing, he didn’t fancy getting a ribbing from the Lobby lads who also don’t him believe. Or perhaps he is hiding a black eye when he failed to duck a flying plate of pasta?

Talking of pasta here is another picture of the couple snapped by a Guido co-conspirator in Ciao Bella. This time in a more discreet corner behind a pillar in the Bloomsbury Italian restaurant which is popular with lawyers. It was taken late on a Friday night a few months ago. It was March 10, if you are interested, Cristina…