Guido Fawked – Suckered By Labour Leak

[Update at end of post]

Yesterday at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Young Dave had a jolly good time taunting Mil The Younger about the latter’s upcoming speech, to be given in Bedford today. This was because he believed it would be free of policy announcements. Cameron knew this because it had been reported by the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog.

Course it was a reliable pub, shit, no, source. We were told it on the highest percentage proof, bollocks, no, authority. Over a pint, stuff that, no, coffee. And whisky. Oh sod it

Why the Prime Minister should take on trust a source that managed a paltry 4% positive trust rating in a recent poll – worse than Twitter or Facebook, and well behind the lowest rated paper – is something only he can answer. Nor did he take the very broad hint, signposted by Miliband smiling broadly back at him, that The Great Guido had sold him a pup.

And so it came to pass that the Miliband speech was given, and to no surprise at all – except at the Fawkes blog – the Labour leader had either defined “policy” in the most flexible terms, or had deliberately dangled a carrot before The Great Guido that would be so tempting, Staines and his pals would take it and serve it up without thinking to check their information (as usual).

My story must be right, cos I'm on telly!

What Mil The Younger has announced this morning is no less than a return of the 10p tax rate axed to such unfortunate effect by Pa Broon, along with what is being termed a “mansion tax” on homes valued in excess of £2 million (which, admittedly, will include a lot of houses not of mansion proportions in certain parts of London). What were the Fawkes folks to do?

Behold the latest Olympic sport ...

Simples. The line swiftly – maybe too swiftly – agreed was to assert that Miliband and shadow chancellor “Auguste” Balls had been “bounced into it” by the leaking of what was claimed to be genuine information. The identical Tweet was issued by both Staines and his odious gofer, the flannelled fool Henry Cole, more or less simultaneously. But this too unravelled in short order.

... yes, it's Synchronised Spinning!

Because then it was revealed that Balls had written a piece for the Evening Standard (aka London Daily Bozza) which must have been submitted for publication far enough back to rubbish the idea that Labour had changed tack after Young Dave’s jolly good sneer during PMQs. In that article he specifically cites the 10p rate and the mansion tax. Staines and his rabble are now bust.

Yet the spin continues, with the Fawkes blog urging readers to “look over there” about what Miliband said after Brown’s scrapping of the lower income tax rate. It won’t work. This is the last time that Cameron, and the likes of Nick Robinson, will trust The Great Guido without a second source. Labour have suckered this clueless rabble, and their supporters will be in Smash Advert mode right now.

Tell us you’re “#1” again, eh? Give everyone a good laugh. Another fine mess.

[UPDATE 1610 hours: Somehow, The Great Guido managed to miss reports that reintroduction of the 10p tax rate was under consideration - and by both the Coalition and Labour.

One report this morning told that "David Cameron dropped a hint yesterday that the 10p tax rate may soon return". That same report later noted that "It emerged last night that Labour is also looking at bringing back the 10p tax rate".

And which paper ran this story? None other than the Super Soaraway Currant Bun. That would be the same paper where the Guido Fawkes rabble have a weekly column.

Rupe will be most unhappy that his new hires can't be arsed taking the broadest of hints from his hacks. The Miliband speech, coming the month before the Budget, was the obvious choice to reveal his party's plans, yet the Fawkes folks believed the cod story they'd been fed. Another fine mess, once again]