Right! Click!! (3)

One story not highlighted in the daily news summary of the Young Briton’s Foundation (YBF), the self-styled “Conservative Madrasa” responsible for “radicalising” young people and then placing “philosophically sound” ones in business and political organisations, is the unfortunate case of sleb chef Antony Worrall Thompson, who has been cautioned for shoplifting.

This may not be totally unrelated to the presence of Worrall Thompson on the YBF’s “Speakers’ Panel”: moreover, he is one of six ideologically acceptable faces presented as exemplars to those looking in on their website. And he is not the only one of those six with a questionable record when it comes to upstanding and honest behaviour, as Zelo Street readers may know.

Also highlighted is the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines, ridiculously presented as “Guido Fawkes” and without a mugshot – although anyone wanting to know is well aware of his identity – who has a criminal record far superior to Worrall Thompson, having notched up four alcohol related convictions, including two for drinking and driving. Thus a fine example to those impressionable youngsters.

Joining Staines in the YBF rogues’ gallery is the smiling face of Dan, Dan The Oratory Man, MEP, occasional Tory and regular pundit on Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse). Hannan cannot lay claim to any kind of criminality, but Zelo Street has had no problem highlighting his frequent excursions into forthright dishonesty. Dan also has form endorsing far right European political parties.

And at the top of the YBF speakers’ pile is Matthew “Gromit” Elliott, founder of the so-called Taxpayers’ Alliance, that Astroturf lobby group dedicated to the demonisation of Government – any Government – along with public service and public works, and which, with the confirmation of HS2 going ahead given today, has scored yet another magnificent failure.

Elliott, over-egging the pudding as he spoke in support of his pal Staines, told that the Guido Fawkes blog had “almost put Private Eye out of business”. As recent sales figures show – and the exhibition at the V&A underlined – the Eye is not even remotely “out of business”, but as strong as ever. Elliott showed by this assertion that he, like Hannan, was happy to be flagrantly dishonest in pursuit of his objectives.

So that’s four variously dodgy characters out of six. Perhaps the YBF’s head man Donal Blaney will look again at his band of exemplars. After all, he knows all about honesty and the law: he is Principal of Griffin Law, Solicitors and Commissioners for Oaths. Just a thought.