The Guido Fawkes blog, penned by the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his tame gofer Henry Cole, the Laurel and Hardy of the blogosphere, has today been passing adverse comment on the recent behaviour of Tory MP Matthew Offord, who represents Hendon. Such comment is not exceptional, but in this case the sheer hypocrisy of Staines most certainly is.
Packs of Stella on 3 for 2 offer at Tesco? Result!
Because the reason for Offord’s appearance on the Fawkes blog is partly due to his apparently being Elephant’s Trunk and Mozart at last year’s party conference: Staines and his gofer helpfully tell that the means by which Offord became tired and emotional was Scotch. Staines, of course, knows full well that the law does not care overmuch whether it was Scotch or beer.
Today's meeting of Pot and Kettle
As many around the blogosphere are well aware, Staines’ relationship with alcohol has been a turbulent one: he notched up his fourth alcohol related conviction in 2008 when he appeared before Tower Bridge Magistrates’ Court to be found guilty of drinking and driving for the second time. The three-year driving ban was routine; the 18 month supervision order and three month curfew were not.
And the drinking is not the only thing that has caused Staines to end up in court: he declared himself bankrupt some years ago after a legal battle during which he was accused of playing “fast and loose with the truth”, a characterisation that many who have read the product of the Fawkes blog will readily recognise. So for him to call out anyone for inebriation and dishonesty is pretty rich.
Staines, of course, could have fared worse in that court appearance in 2008: District Judge Timothy Stone told him “I take the view that you do have an alcohol problem ... you are fortunate not to be going to prison today”. And if Staines is caught driving a car whilst in an overtired state again, especially given he has to re-take his test and hasn’t, as far as is known, done so, he will go to prison.
And making snarky comments about minor politicians won’t carry much weight coming from someone doing a handful down the Scrubs.
2 comments:
Erm... Allister Heath is the Chairman of the 2020 Tax Commission, run by the TPA and the Institute of Directors. That's their logo over the page you've linked to. And explained in the video on that page, too. He isn't the chairman of the TPA. Your brilliant research skills let you down again?
The post concerned has been amended, but it isn't the one on which you posted the comment.
What was that about "brilliant research skills"?
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