MoS Front Page Smear POINTLESS

Is he at the Sun? Is he still at the Mail on Sunday? Whatever the answer, the odious flannelled fool Master Harry Cole, who maintains the pretence that he is a journalist, is behind the latter paper’s front page splash today, where readers are told “WOMAN TIPPED FOR No10 JOB IN BULLYING ROW”. No other paper gives this story, such as it is, any prominence, if they mention it at all. Yet there is no claim of an “exclusive”.

No news is no news ...

And there is a very good reason for treating it with caution: this is no more than a crude hatchet job on a senior Civil Servant, Antonia Romeo, who, we are told, is “tipped” to take over the job vacated when Mark Sedwill resigned recently - or, looking at the payoff he received, more likely was caused to have resigned. So what is Master Cole at?

He thinks the story does merit the “exclusive” tag, telling “Race to be next Cabinet Secretary - or head up the FCO - explodes tonight as bullying and expenses 'whitewash' claims detonate on Whitehall”. But there has been no detonation. And why there has been no detonation is not hard to see: this is thin gruel, all nudges and winks.

The hedging is veritably overgrowing: Ms Romeo “was investigated for bullying staff and misusing expenses”, but very soon we see she “was subsequently cleared by the Cabinet Office and promoted a few weeks later”. Case closed? Er, no: “According to informed sources … claimed to have felt pressured … they did not believe were fully justified … some former colleagues believe … A source said”. A source said? Like in the Sun?

There is more: “is understood to have claimed … The official allegedly begged colleagues … Mounting speculation … furious ex-colleagues … Last night, one said”. So someone who holds a senior position in the Civil Service has lots of former colleagues, some of whom don’t like them? Nothing to see here, film at 11.

... brought to you by no journalist

Then comes the pejorative language: “questionable spending of taxpayers' money [but only ‘alleged’ once more] … expensive taxis [what made them ‘expensive’? We are not told] … more than a dozen flights, some business class [UK official in the US has to travel between the two countries No Shock Horror] … Officials in New York were said to be particularly aggrieved [more hedging. More nudges. More winks]”. Then come the Slebs.

“During her time in New York, where she promoted British interests and UK trade, Mrs Romeo hosted a series of glitzy [more pejorative language] parties for celebrity figures including Calvin Klein, Anna Wintour, Joanna Lumley and the now-disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein [Weinstein? Boo Weinstein!]”. And on drones Master Cole.

“The cost of sending expensive [pejorative language again] bouquets of flowers to British celebrities, including Victoria Beckham, formed part of a dossier of allegations”. But enough. This is nothing more than a catalogue of smears. And all that Master Cole is doing is to once more take dictation from someone wanting an angle putting out there.

There is clearly a range of candidates to replace Sedwill. That is of next to no interest to the MoS readership, or indeed anyone else. Singling one out for smearing on the front page of a national newspaper shows that someone in Whitehall is devoid of ethics.

And it says the same about Master Cole, too. But you knew that already.

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