Sun Civil Service Smear RUMBLED

Exclusive to the Murdoch Sun this morning, not that the rest of our free and fearless press wouldn’t touch the alleged story with a bargepole, you understand, is a blatant smearing of the Civil Service. “Exclusive: Beyond A Joke … Cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine … civil servants enjoy boozy jolly on PM’s plane … SERIOUS BAD ALTITUDE” screams the headline.

The name on the print by-line is that of Amir Razavi, but the online version reveals the additional presence of the odious flaannelled fool Master Harry Cole, the pretend journalist who has for some reason been appointed as the paper’s political editor. Cole is a leading exponent of the school of hackery that shows outstanding proficiency in talking well, but lying badly.

Here’s the claim: “The sightseeing flight for a dozen Foreign Office officials was last night branded ‘shameful’ amid the crippling cost of living crisis … The pen-pushers were given the red carpet treatment as they boarded the PM’s official plane - complete with a well-stocked booze trolley - for a jaunt costing around £50,000”. There was more smearing to follow.

“The Airbus, expected to take the new PM to Balmoral to be sworn in by the Queen next Tuesday, took off from Stansted before roaring north to the Lake District and back again … During the 700-mile, 91-minute flight, the group of civil servants were served a fancy meal with a selection of alcoholic drinks”. That’s pretty damning. Or is it? Let’s see the evidence. Or lack of it.

“The Foreign Office confirmed there was booze on board, but refused to say if any was consumed”. NO EVIDENCE. Nothing about the alleged “fancy meal”. NO EVIDENCE to back up the “giggling” claim. NO EVIDENCE to back up the “sightseeing” claim. But we are told “insiders admitted the inclusion of the giggling Foreign Office team meant that it was effectively a ‘jolly’”.

Insiders? Are they in the room with Master Cole right now? Did he see them in the mirror? Once again, NO EVIDENCE. Oh hang on a minute, what’s this? “Another astonished critic said of Wednesday afternoon’s jaunt: ‘It was clearly some kind of out-of-office fun day … While the average Brit is struggling to get by and get a plane, train or even drive anywhere, these civil servants go for a nice little trip on a stunning ministerial jet. It’s all right for some, isn’t it?’”

Which is more invention. Cobbled together by Master Cole and his pals. It once again provides NO EVIDENCE. As for the obscenely overpaid Sun hacks caring about “the average Brit”, yes, well. But we do get a comment from “John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance”. Who is always somehow absent when it’s alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson wasting the money. His opinion is not worth Jack Shit.

Isn’t there anything to stand up this smear job? “The group of 12 men and women looked like they were heading for a carefree day at the races (no citation) when they arrived to a VIP-style welcome (no citation) at Stansted in Essex. Some started taking selfies (no citation) as they trod the red carpet laid out for them, and it is believed the photographs continued (no citation) once they had boarded the Airbus A321 at 12.26pm”. Nope, NO EVIDENCE.

Try again. “The Foreign Office mandarins (pejorative smear) will have enjoyed its cream leather seats with faux wood panelling, luxury crystal glasses and fine bone china crockery as well as wifi”. No citation, NO EVIDENCE. But there is A Source. “A source said it would have cost around £50,000”. No citation. Just invention. Predictable invention.

After all, Master Cole’s first Sun front page splash back in 2015 was a complete pack of lies. And readers are eventually told what the trip was really about. “Flight data shows the plane’s last trip was on July 21, from Darlington to Stansted. The Government said last night it had to be taken out by Sunday as it must be flown within 45 days”. There was more.

“A government source said: ‘A number of officials joined the flight to make sure that, following a recent reconfiguration of the aircraft, it would still meet ministerial requirements … In order to comply with Airbus and aviation industry rules the aircraft was legally bound to operate a maintenance flight before September 4 or face ­significant additional storage costs”.

Bozo and his chosen successor are not flying to Scotland to see Brenda until the 6th. The Civil Servants were on board to make sure the booze, plates and glasses were all present and correct beforehand. The evidence-free claims that this was some sort of jolly are just another crude red-top smear.

Who leaked this, in order to demonise the Civil Service and deflect from Bozo’s uselessness? You might wish to ask that. I couldn’t possibly comment.

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