Whittingdale - It’s A Conspiracy

The saga of Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, and his more than year-long relationship with a known prostitute, finally burst out into the mainstream yesterday as first Private Eye magazine devoted a full page feature to the affair, and then BBC Newsnight majored on the story. That much was news; what was yet more interesting was how the press’ obedient poodles lined up to scream “non-story” and “conspiracy theory”.

After John Sweeney’s report, there was a discussion between Roy Greenslade, former tabloid editor, and Brian Cathcart, formerly a board member of campaigning group Hacked Off. Greenslade, sadly, resorted to the all-too-common tactic of taking the dead cat that is the accusation of “Conspiracy Theory” and chucking it on the table. And it is telling that this line had not only already been established, but its supporters were ready and waiting.

Is the teaboy having an original thought here?

You think I jest? How often are the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog waiting to post an item after 2300 hours? Yet there was newly anointed teaboy Alex Wickham with his characteristic mix of spin, whataboutery and dishonesty, getting the press establishment line on air almost as soon as the Newsnight discussion had ended. It was a Hacked Off conspiracy theory!

Sadly, no he isn't

Except it wasn’t: Hacked Off are not involved in the story. Cathcart was asked to comment on that story; he was not, and is not, a participant. Wickham talks of “Roy Greenslade, a man unlikely to be part of a right-wing media plot to protect a Tory Cabinet minister”, but as he knows full well, nothing “right-wing” has been so much as suggested - remember, one of the groups that spiked the Whittingdale story runs the left-leaning Mirror!

Another obedient press poodle ...

The Fawkes folks describe “Hacked Off’s wild claims that the press covered up”, but Hacked Off have made no such claim. Wickham concludes “Whitto will be embarrassed by the revelations but he was a single man in a consensual relationship who has done nothing wrong”. Chris Bryant was a single man - that didn’t stop the Fawkes rabble. That The Great Guido was there waiting to rebut and spin is all you need to know.

... and another ...

Moreover, the “Conspiracy Theory” line was not only trotted out obligingly by, among others, Stephen “Vicky” Pollard and Phil Hendren aka Dizzy Thinks, it was, tellingly, used by the loathsome Toby Young three days ago when trying to rubbish Peter Jukes, and before Wickham could get his rebuttal online, it was obediently trotted out by David Jack, another pillar of the press establishment.

... and yet another

As Brian Cathcart also said, the phone hacking scandal was treated the same way - there were yells of “non story” and “conspiracy theory”. There were claims that it was a bunch of rotten lefties trying to get someone on the right. It was framed as right versus left, rather than actually addressing the issues. All of that proved to be wrong. Now, the same people who got it wrong then are coming out with the same excuses.

The lack of self awareness is staggering. But they just don’t get it. And I have news for all those obedient press poodles: there is more to come on this story. And you’re not going to stop it. You’re welcome.