Return Of The Moron

Yet more less than savoury Fourth Estate goings-on have been relayed today before the Leveson Enquiry. More will be revealed next week as former Screws hack Paul McMullen takes the stand – and the oath. On the same day, former Daily Star freelance Rich Peppiatt will be giving another characteristically candid performance, as will Nick Davies, whose Flat Earth News Leveson is reading in advance.

But some parts of the punditerati and blogosphere have been registering elevated levels of excitement not over this prospect, but that the appalling Piers “Morgan” Moron will be appearing at some later date. This has been held to be some kind of game changing event, although what Moron is actually going to reveal may prove disappointing, given he will have ample time to rehearse his answers.

And raising an unintentional laugh over the appearance have been the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his tame gofer Henry Cole, the Laurel and Hardy of the blogosphere, at the Guido Fawkes blog, who have decided to claim credit for Moron’s appearance. They assert “Well it seems Leveson read our letter outlining the case against Morgan”.

Thus another steaming heap of by-product from the northbound end of a southbound bull. There is no “case against Morgan”: the Fawkes blog previously claimed its “dossier” was going to be sent to the Met, but it wasn’t, this being a pity as all concerned could have done with a good laugh. Moron is expected to explain a number of statements he has made in interviews. That is all.

The role of Mirror Group titles in Operation Motorman may also be raised, but it must be borne in mind that Moron was only editing one of them, and that if the actions of the Screws are anything to go by, it is the Sunday titles that were most likely to be engaging in questionable activity (it was because Moron was editing the Daily Mirror that he could beat the Screws to the Sven’n’Ulrika story).

And the idea that Leveson has invited Moron at the prompting of Staines and Cole is equally laughable: Moron is a former tabloid editor – he edited the Screws before the Daily Mirror, and worked with the twinkle-toed yet domestically combative Rebekah Brooks – and it would only be unusual were he not to be called. The Fawkes blog has not had any influence here.

And it will not have any influence on proceedings, especially given that the Guardian has provided live coverage from the start, and can therefore expect much of the audience to opt for its site over the Fawkes blog. Another Fine Mess.