Don’t Menshn Lauri Love

The case of Lauri Love, accused of hacking into US Government and security agency computers and the subject of a protracted attempt by the authorities Stateside to extradite him for summary trial and long-term incarceration, came more or less to a conclusion last month when his appeal against that extradition was successful.

Has she got news for us? Nope. Same old, then

Many - including me - had not held out much hope, given the asymmetrical nature of the security relationship that seems to exist between the UK and the USA. But Judges hearing his appeal before the High Court were persuaded that, as the BBC reported, he “did not seek impunity for the acts alleged against him, but contended that he should be tried and, if convicted, sentenced in the United Kingdom”. Trial at home.

Lauri Love - appeal successful

For many, this was cause for both celebration and relief, but for one sad individual alone with her social media access in reassuringly upmarket Manhattan, it was yet another example of calling it totally wrong once more. Yes, (fortunately) former Tory MP Louise Mensch was bereft at the news - and the realisation that everyone else now knew that her claimed access to the innermost workings of Stateside Spook Central was mere bluff.

From the get-go, she was sure he would be lifted: “Lauri it's two am. Go to bed. They won't be as soft in the Supermax … Now it's 2:20 am Laurie … Sleep … It’s a thing … Like your hacking … You will sing when they come for you and we both know it … Lauri you are going down do you want to spill to me on lulzsec and I'll see what I can do?”

“Spill to me” … “You will sing”. Someone’s been watching too many old films and box sets. And there was more. “I wouldn't be insulting public defenders @laurilove as you will be needing one soon … How's the packing coming, Lauri? … Good advice to remember when you are on that plane with a hood over your head”. Plus she was convinced that this was all about the Trump-Russia business, which it most certainly isn’t.

And then it came to pass that Lauri Love’s appeal was allowed. So Ms Mensch had to skip over her failure to call one thing correctly, so she could not call another thing correctly. “First, this is disappointing and I hope the CPS appeal. Second, it’s not good for @LauriLove - judges demanded his trial in the UK, saying ‘serious offences indeed’ telling CPS to throw book at him”. Not being thrown in jail for 99 years is “not good for him”.

Moreover, “Judges demanded his trial in the UK” is over-egging the pudding just a little. But she wasn’t finished showing the world just how much she didn’t know.”CPS should appeal. UK Supreme Court has been good on these cases, said police were right to detain the spy who was Greenwald’s mule. Failing that, @UKParliament should change the law so that we can more easily extradite criminals to our ally”.

Oh, just f*** right off. There isn’t going to be a CPS appeal, her obsession with David Miranda being stopped in transit at Heathrow was wrong then (and wrong still), and Parliament isn’t going to change the law. This is the punditry of make believe.

Louise Mensch would be well advised to get a grip on reality. She won’t. So even fewer people will listen to her pretending to know what she’s talking about. Sad, really.