Guido Fawked - Hacked Off Supporter

Those who look in regularly on Zelo Street will recall the shamelessness of the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog when it comes to accepting advertising. The Great Guido has, in the past, even taken the money from the Russian Government - adverts placed on behalf of the Russian Embassy were a regular presence a few years back. But now has come a new level of that shamelessness.

The Fawkes folks, having long ago sold out to the Press Establishment, have always taken a stance on press regulation in line with its masters. Sham regulator IPSO, in the Fawkes fantasy world, has nothing wrong with it, anything coming out of the Leveson proposals can only be A Bad Thing, and anyone and everyone who gets too close to campaigning group Hacked Off is in line for both barrels at the first opportunity.

So it was with some surprise that Zelo Street observed a series of adverts on the Fawkes blog for campaigning group 38 Degrees, highlighting the kinds of campaigns that one might not have expected chez Fawkes, not least “Women’s Rights”. How this sits with the blog that has promoted a category of posts called “Totty Watch” is not known? Is The Great Guido becoming a feminist? And there was more.

Another 38 Degrees ad subject proudly displayed on the Fawkes blog today has been “LGBT Rights”. That’s the same blog which not so long ago ran a series of nudge-nudge posts about William ‘Ague, including such fnarr and spab inducing titles as “Well over half query Hague” (geddit?!?), “Hague’s Bedroom Pickles” (geddit?!?) and the priceless “Where’s Willy” (geddit?!?). Is this a sign of greater tolerance?

More like it’s a sign of just wanting the money. What was also in those 38 Degrees adverts was one declaring “Action On Climate Change”, another of those subjects where the Fawkes rabble are more likely to side with the climate change denial lobby, given their closeness to so many of the people involved. But the 38 Degrees association which does not speak its name in the adverts is, for The Great Guido, the most difficult.

Campaigning group Hacked Off has worked with 38 Degrees to promote adoption of the recommendations on press regulation made as a result of the Leveson Inquiry. Both groups have demonstrated their opposition to the Murdoch mafia getting their hands on the 61% of Sky they do not yet own. 38 Degrees are not part of the Press Establishment, unlike Staines and his pals, who are fully paid up members.

So good to see The Great Guido supporting a group associated with Hacked Off. Even though the situation that the Fawkes rabble round themselves in at the 2013 Labour Party Conference hasn’t changed (they tried to gatecrash a Hacked Off bash at supporter Steve Coogan’s house, only to find that they were most certainly not getting in the door). And they spent all that dosh turning up with a bottle and a snapper.

And good to see Staines’ desperation meaning he’ll take anyone’s money. Another fine mess, once again.