The suggestion by Jake Wallis Simons, who claims to be Associate Global Editor at Mail Online, that the presence behind The Swkawkbox was making money out of NHS sell-offs garnered him much admiration among the ranks of the press establishment, its hangers-on, and other associated wannabes. Here was proof positive that the rotten lefties were a bunch of hypocrites, even if not as good at it as the press themselves.
And, despite the knowledge that one should never, but never, take the Mail or its online presence at face value, rather a lot of people, most of whom should have known better, took Wallis Simons’ piece at rather more than face value. Some, though, were wary of giving Mail Online their unequivocal backing. They were right to do so.
After Wallis Simons Tweeted out “My exclusive: Identity of @Skwawkbox blogger revealed - and he's a corporate CEO providing private services to NHS”, and, it should be noted, the headline on his article stated “is corporate CEO selling to NHS”, in came all the usual Labour bashers, notably Mark Wallace of ConHome: “Ahahaha - when a Corbynite conspiracy-monger turns out to be a private contractor profiting from selling to the NHS”. Wallace has added “profiting”, for good measure. That’s most interesting.
Those serving the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines at the Guido Fawkes blog were not unhappy, with newly anointed teaboy Alex “Billy Liar” Wickham gurgling “Brilliant hit by @JakeWSimons. Man behind alt-left site Skwawkbox is private NHS contractor”. The Fawkes rabble’s apprentice sandwich monitor, sorry, senior reporter Ross Kempsell agreed: “Boss of ultra-Corbynista blog Skwawkbox SELLS services to... the NHS! Quite remarkable story”. The Coleman impression ain’t making it.
The invention kept on coming. Tom Blenkinsop claimed “The truth behind skwawkbox.Hard left blogger (ran attacks against me & others) made his cash from NHS privatisation”. Made his cash. Lisa Muggeridge agreed: “That SKWAWKBOX is a CEO making his money out of NHS privatisation is funny though. On every level”. Made his money out of.
Charles Bennett was not to be left out: “Revealed, far-Left @Skwawkbox blogger is corporate CEO selling to NHS”. And nor was non-left UK Left: “Revealed, far-Left @Skwawkbox blogger is corporate CEO selling to NHS”. But the BuzzFeed people were slightly more circumspect. Jim Waterson, for instance, offered “MailOnline takes aim at the author of Skwawkbox and claims his business has taken private contracts from the NHS”.
His colleague Alan White concluded “quite fun, Skwawkbox reportedly run by a CEO who sells services to the NHS”. And, d’you know what, they were right to exercise a little caution. Because Zelo Street has asked The Skwawkbox to clarify just what money was being made out of whom. And the answer is bad news for Mail Online.
This is the reply: “we don't sell anything to the NHS. We provide a *free* service to the NHS that lets those who use it cut costs on their correspondence by up to 70%. For free”.
Hello all you who claimed otherwise! You were warned not to take Mail Online on trust, and so it’s not just Jake Wallis Simons who has egg on his face. Now say sorry.
3 comments:
Simons now blathering on on Twitter
"I have Steve Walker on tape saying he makes a profit from it."
Maybe he would like to release the unedited full audio then...
Of course he may or may not have a tape, but there are rules for journos about taping, making someone aware you are taping them, and when and when not a tape recording can be made public. It depends on what was said too. Perhaps he makes money from some people and not from the NHS? I see Squawkbox is making noises about libel :-)
Let's hear the tape. If it exists.
Until then, given the Heil past behaviour, it is guilty until proved innocent. The two faced lying scum.
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