Back in 2008, on Nick Ferrari’s LBC Breakfast Show, there
was a guest appearance from Susie Squire, then spinning for the so-called
Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA). Also appearing was (then) Labour hopeful Chuka
Umunna. Ms Squire moved to scotch suggestions of partiality: “I’d like to point out that we’re independent
– we’re not for the Tories or for Labour or for anyone”.
Susie Squire responds cautiously to her new enhanced pay package
Umunna was unimpressed: “Let’s
not beat around the bush here. The TPA is not an independent organisation in
the way that the Institute for Fiscal Studies, for example, is. Its advisory
council is a who’s who of discredited Thatcherite people. Margaret Thatcher’s
former economic advisor, Sir Alan Walters, sits on their advisory panel ... all
of the founders ... have a Conservative Party background”.
So Ferrari put the question. “Susie, are you secretly Conservative?” to which a faux-outraged Ms
Squire retorted “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I
can’t have that – that’s outrageous! That’s just absolutely outrageous! Because
we’re totally independent, we talk to everyone ... We talk to everyone who
wants to talk to us ... We don’t have a party preference”.
Maybe not. But the TPA is part of the wider Conservative
Movement, which aims to pull the Tory Party to the right and bring the
ideological, boorish and intolerant mood of the US right-wing to the UK. Only
today, Zelo Street has filleted
another blatantly dishonest “report”
from the TPA, which was in reality just another crude slice of union bashing.
These are not disinterested political people.
And for someone who claims not to be a Conservative, Ms
Squire is managing to move easily into Conservative circles and climb the
Conservative greasy pole: after leaving the TPA in 2010, she passed through the
revolving door and became Special Advisor (SpAd) to Iain Duncan Smith, as he
was appointed Work and Pensions Secretary following that year’s General
Election.
The amount of blatant misinformation coming out of the DWP
was notable for its sheer volume in the two years following her arrival, but
someone in the Tory Party must have been impressed, because she
was made the party’s press chief at the end of May this year. And now Susie
Squire has
been appointed to the role of Young Dave’s press secretary. Not bad going
for a non-Conservative.
This progress should surprise no-one: despite the
protestations, Susie Squire has an impeccably right-wing CV: before the TPA she
was employed by the Stockholm Network. Here is a triumph not only for her, but
also that wider Conservative Movement. Expect more falsehood and misinformation
to come out of 10 Downing Street in the coming weeks and months.
And expect an
emboldened right-wing to try and repeat the ascent of Susie Squire.
The amount of blatant misinformation coming out of the DWP was notable for its sheer volume in the two years following her arrival, but someone in the Tory Party must have been impressed
ReplyDeleteI really think the use of the word "but" here is needlessly facetious.