How Quickly The Guardian Unravels

TB is busy and he has done this before, but

MPTP

has got his digging hat on again. Robert Booth the Guardian muckracker attempting to stir up trouble has had his string pullers cover well and truly blown:

The latest installment of this story has another point of interest, a comment from Gill Marshall-Andrews, Chairwoman of the 

Gun Control Network

:

We are deeply disturbed that elements of the Conservative party are allying themselves with the organisation Young Britons’ Foundation, whose aims include liberalisation of gun laws, and that senior Conservative figures are espousing the views of this disturbing group

But hang on a second – since when was liberalisation of gun laws one of the aims of the YBF? I’d love to see Marshall-Andrews provide a source for that. You’re certainly not going to find anything on that topic 

on the YBF’s website

. She goes on to say

Ordinary people in the UK are fearful of guns and do not want to see a return to the pre-Dunblane situation where pistol shooting was the ‘fastest growing sport’. Then we were clearly heading along the American road, a road we fervently hope that the Conservatives will not take us down again.

Now I’m even more confused. Had anyone – even the more strident Labourite – ever heard the Conservative leadership propose reversing the handgun ban? I mean, I have to assume that Gill Marshall-Andrews has, because otherwise she’s just scaremongering, and doing so with a specific political target (not that it’d be the first time 

the Gun Control Network has been accused of scaremongering

).

Isn’t it a little odd that the Gun Control Network should be commenting on this story, given the lack of a direct link? Let’s just pause to note that Gill Marshall-Andrews just happens to be the husband of the Bob Marshall-Andrews, Labour MP for Medway.

On a side note: Medway, as the political geeks among you will be aware, is significant marginal. Bob Marshall-Andrews has a a majority of less than 250 – reduced from over 5,000 in 1997 – and he’s standing down this year. His replacement, Teresa Murray, is expected to lose to the renamed Rochester and Strood constituency to the Conservative PPC, 

Mark Reckless

, who, in a pleasing coincidence, is 

a close friend of Daniel Hannan MEP

…

a member of the YBF’s Parliamentary Council

.

Full story

here

.


Subtle move by the red team.

Quote of the Day

"Curiously, one thing that's left open to the broadcaster is the opening and closing credits. Rule 68 states that "each broadcaster [is] responsible for their own titles, music, branding etc". If I was running ITN – which, at the time of writing, I'm not – I'd make the most of this sole crumb of freedom by creating an insanely inappropriate title sequence in which a claymation Brown, Cameron and Clegg take turns performing sex acts on a cow, a kettle and a hole in the ground, all of it backed by the old It's a Knockout theme tune. Then it abruptly cuts live to the studio, where all three leaders have been waiting to speak, watching with mounting horror as this sickening cartoon unfolded on the monitors. As they storm out, a body language expert analyses their facial expressions, and the studio audience waves giant foam hands around. It might not affect the election either way, but who cares: that's entertainment."

-Charlie Brooker on the TV debates in

The Guardian

Posh Tory is Back

Hide The Decline

You may have noticed the new ad on the left of the site. Hide the Decline is a Australian based climate change windup t-shirt company.

Check out their wares

.

If you would like to advertise on TB drop him an email and make him an offer he can't refuse.

The Party's Over

The story of Steven Purcell has ended with a tragic twist and shocking attempt at a cover up. From high flyer to rock bottom, Purcell has fled Scotland and gone into hiding, possibly in Australia. Once again Paul Hutcheon, with the help of Tom Gordon, proves why he is one of the finest investigative journalists around with

this forensic write up

. Guido has a

summary

too.

Still nothing but silence from Number 10 about the fall of their ally.

Quote(s) of the Day

In a less than subtle dig at his opponent in Buckingham Nigel Farage, John Bercow said today:

“Simple rabid personal abuse frankly shouldn’t have a place in parliamentary politics - it is low grade, it is unworthy.”

Speaking

in 2005 while campaigning against David Cameron, John Bercow said:

"Eton, hunting, shooting and lunch at Whites" made David Cameron the wrong man for the job.

The outgoing Speaker should be careful not to make his fear of losing turn him into any more of a hypocrite.

Smirk

Good spot from Gordon's visit to Afghanistan yesterday by

Old Holborn

.

The Enemy are Rattled

That The Guardian would chose to use their

front page

and a whole subsequent

news page

to attempt to have a dig at the

Young Britons' Foundation

shows the organisation is working.The lazy article assembled from a few blog posts, some stock photos and a sprinkle of Hannanphobia is some fantastic free press for YBF. TB understands that on the back of this article alone the 10 grand was donated earlier today to continue to the fight against the leftist establishment.

You can tell a non-story as soon as you hit the quote from John Prescott. The article itself ends up turning into a press release about the success and as a graduate of some of the fantastic YBF training, TB was particuarly chuffed with the last few lines:

 The YBF claims to have trained 2,500 party activists and sources familiar with Conservative central office said there is an informal understanding that the YBF is the main provider of training for young Conservative activists.

But most significantly, at least 11 Tory parliamentary candidates have either been delegates or speakers at its courses since 2003. With many in winnable seats, it seems the graduates of the "Conservative madrasa" could be about to take power.

As for Comrade Blaney? Well his views are well known, he has rightly never been afraid to express them, but to suggest that YBF is some sort in indoctrination brain washer is ridiculous. Just a cursory glance over the list of speakers from last weeks event shows that there was a mixture of painfully party line stuff and some more interesting ideological suggestions from the right. The range of PPCs and journalist YBF has helped, again shows the broad-church of conservative thought nurtured by such a vital organisation. There was even some orange-bookers at the event last week.

Donal has done a fantastic job with YBF and to be so sloppy to suggest that one man's personal opinions on a handful of issues must therefore be reflected by everyone he has ever helped shows just how lazy The Guardian piece is. Well done also too CF's press officer Michelle Donelan for handling what was quite clearly an attempted hatchet job with ease.

Right, must dash, TB has got to practice his water-boarding skills.

You can donate to YBF

here

.

Lefty News on Purcell

TB is a big fan of lefty-stirrer 

Political Scrabook

, but this did make him crack up:

You can say that again.

Please Please Please Stop

The election hasn't even been called but for the record TB would just like to say at this point he is already sick to the back teeth of having to listen to constant references to the following terms:

"The internet election..." as in "this is like totally the internet election" - Yes it will be important but not that important.

"Obama-style fund-raising"  as in "we have no money but lets make it sound good when someone gives us a fiver" - The UK is at least five years behind getting anywhere close to even a minor senate campaign. Get a grip. If anything it should be called "Dean-style" fund-raising.  PPCs can only spend 40k from now onward on seats, Ron Paul raised a million in one day.

"Twitter engagement"  as in "we like totally get social media engagement" - Well done, you are talking to 10,000 politically active people. Less than a quarter of one constituency. Go knock on some doors.

"Car Crash TV" as in "OMG you see that reasonably competent, but idealogical differing from my own view, television performance? That guy got like totally #PWNED. #FAIL #GAMEON" - Just because you disagree with someone doesn't make it a bad performance. Though this line can genuinely apply to Prescott, J. and Devine, J.

Feel free to include your own ideas below and TB will update any good ones.

Enough.

This whole weeks news agenda didnt have to happen like this. Though Ashcroft has not broken any laws, why didn't he just say he was a non-dom? There is nothing wrong with it, why should money he has earned abroad be taxed here? He pays tax on his British earnings. Sorted. But why also let such an easy hit happen? It's now clear why he bought ConservativeHome, a little protection no?

Labour's tantrums have been utterly shameful though, especially today's Business Questions. Get a grip, people in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones, however much they want to distract from Brown's Chilcot appearance tomorrow. Not only do they have millions of pounds of union support but they also have their own non-dom backers who are much much more controversial than Ashcroft. See this weeks Guy News for a little digging TB and co have been doing on Lord Paul. And to have the audacity to use Mandy to spearhead the charge is laughable. Who the hell is he to criticise any Lords appointment? The man should be in the political graveyard having resigned twice from the cabinet, lied to try save his arse and line his pockets on the EU gravy train.

 Jog on.

Blair's Book Cover

Tip of the hat to

KeepRightOnline.

Chemical Dependency

Well you read it on TB first but the BBC have finally caught up with the fact Steve Purcell has a coke problem. Even the council staff wanted to release a "

chemical dependecy

" press release.

No wonder he retained his own spokesman.

Free Hogan

Pub land lord Nick Hogan has been been jailed in one of the countries most violent prisons for flouting the smoking ban. Please donate to get him out next Tuesday

here

.

Quote of the Day

"There is no magic button we can press, no sword we can pull out of the stone to bring back all those thousands of people who voted for us in the 80's and 90's. We can't. They're all dead."

Eric Pickles to YBF Parliament Rally

The Ministry of Sound

TB is off the Westminster for the Young Britons' Foundation Parliamentary Rally 2010.

Check out their new website too

. Very nice. Seems there is a very sound list of speakers about to kick off in Committee Room 10:

Kindly hosted by Greg Hands MP

2.00pm Douglas Carswell MP (Harwich & Clacton)
2.15pm Alex Deane (Big Brother Watch)
2.30pm Gerald Howarth MP (Shadow Defence Minister)
2.45pm Jonathan Isaby (ConservativeHome)
3.00pm Andrew Rosindell MP (Shadow Home Office Minister)
3.15pm Raheem Kassam (Student Rights)
3.30pm Mark Wallace (The TaxPayers’ Alliance)
3.45pm James Delingpole (Author & Polemicist)
4.00pm Shane Greer (Total Politics)
4.15pm Simon Richards (The Freedom Association)
4.30pm Harry Cole (Sunlight Centre for Open Politics)
4.45pm Dr Liam Fox MP (Shadow Defence Secretary)
5.00pm Eric Pickles MP (Conservative Party Chairman)
5.15pm Paul Staines (Guido Fawkes)
5.30pm Iain Dale (Blogger & Publisher)
5.45pm Samuel Coates (CCHQ)
5.55pm Michael Rock (Conservative Future)

See you there. Hashtag is apparently #ybfpr10.

Purcell Leaves Rehab

TB got a fair bit of flack for his alluding to exactly why Steven Purcell quit as leader of Glasgow Council. The

usual hysterics

came from the usual places last night to suggest that TB was wrong. Well the BBC are now

confirming

that Purcell this morning left a drug rehabilitation clinic south of Edinburgh.

TB wishes no ill toward Mr Purcell but sees no reason why he even bothered trying to cover it up by retaining a man who claims to be "Scotland's Max Clifford" to handle the crisis. It's always the lying that makes the story...

Obama Caught Lip-Syncing

Brilliant.

Sniffing Around the Purcell Story

Further to the post below, TB understands that former Scottish Labour rising star Steven Purcell was as happy as larry on Friday morning yet mysteriously cleared his diary by the afternoon and went into crisis meetings before bringing out the "stress" press release and resigning last night. Could this be a little white lie?

What could have made him react so suddenly? What story did someone discover and put to him?

Sniff sniff.

Purcell Intrigue

TB's nose started to twitch as soon as he heard the news breaking last night that up-and-coming Scottish Labour star Steven Purcell was quitting.  After an apparent breakdown he has walked away from his role in charge of Glasgow Council. But there's more to the story than that...

He narrowly missed out being an MP in last years Glasgow by-election and many wondered why he wasn't selected as the Labour candidate. If Purcell really did want to get away from politics for a while why then has he retained PR man Jack Irvine from the 

Media House

 PR firm?

Mr Irving is a crisis manager, but TB hears perhaps Mr Purcell better find a relationship councillor too.


UPDATE: Seems Purcell needs more than just relationship help. Developing...