Arron Banks Russia Lies NAILED

He only had “one boozy lunch” with the Russian ambassador. Then he might have had another couple of meetings. Perhaps there had been another encounter he’d forgot to mention. Now, Arron Banks, the alleged “man who bankrolled Brexit”, has been revealed to have met the senior British representative of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin’s gangster régime at least eleven times. And he’s not happy at the revelation.

Once again, it is the Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr, doggedly and inevitably prising the lid off the Leave EU worm can, who has nailed Banksy, helped in no small measure by the trawl of emails which were not stolen or hacked from anyone, despite Banks’ untrue claims to the contrary. The detail has been put directly.

“Arron Banks, met the Russian ambassador at least 11 times in the run-up to the EU referendum and in the two months beyond, documents seen by the Observer suggest - seven more times than he has admitted. The same documents suggest the Russian embassy extended a further four invitations but it is not known if they were accepted.” 

There was more. “It is the third time the number of such meetings has been revised upwards … After the Observer revealed a month ago that he had had multiple meetings at which he had been offered lucrative business deals, Banks told a parliamentary inquiry into fake news he had had ‘two or three’ meetings … Last week, when pressed by the New York Times, he admitted a fourth meeting”. And now there are seven more.

So what of Banks’ response? “An outright lie @carolecadwalla , we were regularly invited to cultural events at the embassy including music , drama etc which I did not attend. I had two lunches and a cup of tea with the ambassador over the period. Desperate stuff”. No letter from Mishcon de Reya, then. What about his pal Wiggy?

“Just utter rubbish @carolecadwalla you are a desperate sad sad nutter - for the record NO we didn’t. I am sure your editor @guardian will be making yet another correction”. Banksy agreed. “Codswallop chronicles continue unimpeded by facts”.

So what about that legal action? “If you think The Guardian is not telling the truth. Why not sue them” asked Otto English, but did not receive a response. Nor did those wondering why this was still not considered a story by out national broadcaster. “It is the BBC’s duty as a journalistic and information service to report this. Enough, really is enough” noted Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder. Nick Cohen made a similar observation.

“Imagine if Corbyn had met the Russian ambassador 11 times during the general election campaign and Labour had been offered stakes in a Russian goldmine. The BBC would say ‘this is a story,’ wouldn't it?” One rather imagines it would have.

And Ms Cadwalladr isn’t finished yet, hinting at where she might be looking next as she Tweeted “Great thread on the mysterious Joseph Mifsud, star of the Mueller indictments from @gavinsblog. It's Mifsud who connects the Trump campaign to @arron_banks' great friend, the Russian ambassador, @Amb_Yakovenko…”

Banksy and Wiggy are on check. Maybe, whisper it quietly, they are in check mate.

Top Six - July 8

So what’s hot, and what’s not, in the past week’s blogging? Here are the six most popular posts on Zelo Street for the past seven days, counting down in reverse order, because, well, I have places to go an people to see later. So there.

6 Brexit Fundraising - Brillo In Trouble Did BBC presenter Andrew Neil help solicit donations to the Leave EU campaign?

5 Tommy Robinson - Now Leveson Is Smeared The paranoia surrounding a possible appeal against Stephen Yaxley Lennon’s custodial sentence boiled over as his fans started to question the integrity of one of England’s most senior judges.

4 The Sun Reveals Who Runs Britain Tony Gallagher, the Sun’s deeply unpleasant editor, rocking up in Downing Street ahead of crunch Brexit talks? Subtle it wasn’t.

3 BBC Integrity UNDER FIRE After Vote Leave was allowed to get its spin onto the Beeb’s airwaves - for the second time - eyebrows were raised and questions asked. Again.

2 Arron Banks Tennis Expertise ISN’T Mr Clueless of Leave EU came off second best when he picked an argument with Martina Navratilova.

1 Katie Hopkins Contempt Of Court Hatey Katie couldn’t resist shooting her mouth off about a trial which is still live.

And that’s the end of another blogtastic week, blog pickers. Not ‘arf!

Nigel Farage Trump Balloon BURSTS

Next week, the UK will have the dubious privilege of an official visit from Combover Crybaby Donald Trump, the cheap huckster, failed businessman, mafia confidant, congenital liar, misogynist bully, nailed-on racist and recipient of golden showers presently standing in as President of the USA. The visit is not universally popular; as such, there are a series of protests planned during the course of his sojourn here.

Squeaky orange friend finger up the bum time

So what kind of protests are planned? As the BBC has reported, “Plans to fly a giant inflatable depicting Donald Trump as a baby over London during the US president's visit have sparked an online row … London Mayor Sadiq Khan has given permission for the helium-filled six-metre (19.7ft) high balloon to fly … Mr Trump is due to meet Theresa May at 10 Downing Street on 13 July”. Not everyone was amused.

Trump’s fans certainly weren’t, not least of whom was Piers Morgan. “The Trump baby balloon is genius. a) It will definitely encourage the President not to be puerile or childish. b) It will definitely encourage the President to give Britain a great new trade deal post-Brexit. Well done everyone!” This man is a bit of a crawler.

James Felton put him straight. “a) If being President of the USA doesn’t encourage you to not be a fucking child nothing will b) The goal here is to reject a psychopath who thinks keeping kids in cages is fine, not appease him to get scraps of trade & some swimming pool chicken. Other than that well done Piers”. Quite. But more was to come.

Former UKIP Oberscheissenführer Nigel “Thirsty” Farage was incensed. “Sadiq Khan has allowed an inflatable ‘Trump baby’ blimp to fly in London. This is the biggest insult to a sitting US President ever”. Abe Lincoln, Jack Kennedy … but let’s move right along.

One Stateside Tweeter was unimpressed. “Perhaps Trump should've considered the consequences of his behavior when he mocked London after a terror attack. If you like him so much, you're welcome to keep him”. Another simply told “He deserves it, he’s a disgrace. Look at his insulting tweets. Or the insults when he speaks publicly. He should try acting civilly and acting like a grown ass man and behave with the dignity that equals the office. FULL STOP”. Back in the UK, Owen Jones clearly liked the idea.

“I know, brilliant isn’t it” he responded, before reminding Farage “The hard right: The left are easily triggered snowflakes who hate freedom of expression … The hard right also: Waaaaa waaaaa the mean left are putting a balloon baby Trump in the sky”.

Meanwhile Marina Hyde of the Guardian reminded Nige just how crass his claim was - “Couple of presidential widows would probably have argued the toss with you, but if you need to wet your pants about a balloon, so be it” - before reminding everyone else why Farage was getting so uptight. “Nigel getting v worried that his crush won’t like him anymore if he has a shit state visit”. And if nobody likes Nige, Nige gets less money.

As to the insult idea, Sean Rostron had news for Farage: “Really? Come to Birkenhead and see my ‘fuck off you fat bald stupid orange wanker’ inflatable in the shape of an orange arsehole”. And Technically Ron reminded Nige “Today in 2018 the people that say people are too easily offended these days are offended by..... a balloon”. End of story.

Julia Hartley Dooda’s Brexit Blubber

For those not yet au fait with the political orientation of TalkRADIO, the station whose audience is smaller than the population of Icelend (and the census was probably taken on an early closing day), the station’s shamelessly self-promoting breakfast host Julia Hartley Brewer has shown the world exactly where this Murdoch-owned business is orientated - way out there on the screamingly Europhobic right.

We know who you are, thanks

As a result, yesterday’s cabinet awayday to Chequers, where all the alleged Brexit rebels caved in and agreed with Theresa May, has caused her considerable discomfort. To this end, she has Retweeted Migration Watch UK, Chloe Westley of the so-called Taxpayers’ Alliance, Spiked Online, Jacob Rees Mogg, Arron Banks’ Westmonster, Leave EU Official, plus a variety of idiocy from the Sun and the Guido Fawkes blog.

But it is her own outpourings that bring us closest to this troubled, weeping has-been, for whom an invite to the Spectator magazine summer party is a sign of continued relevance, rather than an impromptu doorstop. “Football may well be coming home but, from what I’m hearing, Brexit most definitely isn’t. Not really sure why anyone bothered asking us ordinary voters what we wanted if they were going to ignore it anyway” she moaned.

What “we” wanted could hardly be gauged by a yes or no question on a ballot paper, could it? That thought did not trouble Ms Hartley Dooda, who chose instead to endorse an editorial from Spiked, so-called because it should have been long ago, with the ringing endorsement “This. A thousand times this”. A thousand times not, more like.

But by now, the large black cloud marked GLOOM had settled above Ms Hartley Dooda, intensifying the misery, as she bleated “Did you see what Belgium did to Brazil’s World Cup hopes? Just wait 1 minute to see what May did to Leave voters”.

On she droned: “I never thought, when I voted Leave two years ago, that our best chance of Britain not being shafted in a Brexit deal was the hope that *the EU* would reject the British government’s plan. #BrexitForever #Democracy”. For some reason, Ms Hartley Dooda fails to tell her followers that the only form of democracy of which she approves is the kind that gives the result that is in line with her views.

But there was a silver lining to that big black cloud. “The Cabinet Brexiteers may have capitulated but backbenchers tell me they will vote this deal down”. Yeah, right. Like the Tories will break ranks and bring down the Government, when they know the most likely consequence would be a General Election that Jeremy Corbyn would win.

Plus, there was one small problem with her reasoning, and that was summed up by a pundit just after the referendum: “No one in the Leave campaign had the authority or mandate to set out a manifesto for Brexit. That is a job for government”. Quite right. And that is what the Government is now doing - taking on that job.

And who was the far-sighted pundit who gave such wise advice two years ago? Why, it was the same Julia Hartley Dooda who is now whining about it!

The audiences never do come flocking to TalkRADIO, do they? Why might that be?

Brexiteers In Mourning

After yesterday’s Chequers awayday, and the threat by Theresa May that any minister resigning over her proposals for a Brexit deal with the EU would immediately forfeit their ministerial car and have to summon the local taxi firm to take them to the nearest station, has come the news that every last one of the cabinet rebels has stacked their cards and left the table. The PM won; the rest are losers.

What that means is that it is far more likely that employers like Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Honda and the rest will be able to continue production in the UK, their supply chains unaffected by border upheavals. It means the real world, which generates the real money, can carry on unaffected by the fantasy soundbite alternate reality of “Global Britain”, “Freedom to strike our own trade deals” and, inevitably, “Make Britain great again”.

But for the anti-EU part of the press establishment and their hangers-on, the news is not what they wanted to hear, and the reaction of the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog was typical: “Brexiters have been crushed … The EU will now attempt to force us into an even softer Brexit … Guido cannot understand how DD and co have accepted this … Extremely depressing”. Sob! Sniff! Snot fair!

Today’s editorial from the Murdoch Sun tries to put a brave face on it, telling “A plan may have been cooked up but it still needs to get past the EU - and the continent’s leaders are showing no sign of compromise”, while pundit Liam Halligan, otherwise featured at CapX, Brexit Central and UnHerd, that last the creation of the serially clueless Tim Montgomerie, and so called because nobody bothers with it, is in full whining mode.

“Theresa May’s plans are a fudge and would defraud 17.4million voters who backed Brexit” he complains, before letting slip the sheer dishonesty in his argument. “The protectionist Customs Union, meanwhile, puts high tariffs on the 85 per cent of the world economy beyond the EU” he tells, managing to miss all those Free Trade Agreements which reduce of even eliminate tariffs - which we get by being in the EU.

The Mail tried to warn Theresa May off: “Settling for a soft Brexit could cost the Conservatives the next election, Theresa May was warned last night … the summit came as a poll showed a swathe of Tory voters will abandon Mrs May if she waters down Brexit too much - with two-thirds warning that they would rather walk away without a deal”.

Bit late for that now. It’ll get worse for them later. And it’s no use running pointless stories like “Donald Trump is ready to offer the UK a zero tariff trade deal says the US ambassador to the UK as the President prepares to visit”. Trump wouldn’t be able to identify a trade deal if it jumped up and kicked him in the undercarriage.

The Europhobic press and its pals need to get real: when push comes to shove, no responsible Government is going to screw over the country on the say-so of the economic lunatic fringe. Business has spoken and the PM has listened - and for once, that voice has been heard louder and clearer than our free and fearless press.

So now the Brexiteer faithful are in mourning. Their crackpot idiocy got killed by reality.

Tommy Robinson’s Pal ON TRIAL

Last March, Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, stood at Speaker’s Corner and delivered a speech which had been written by Generation Identity leader Martin Sellner. This, we were told, was to assert Lennon’s right to speak freely, and to show the UK Border Agency that they could not stop this free speech merely by banning Sellner from the UK (he has since been banned from the country for good).

But Lennon and his pals, while trying to push The Great Man’s cause and protest his continuing incarceration for a contempt of court which he admitted, are not talking about Sellner today, which shows an interesting double standard among Lennon’s followers. Because Sellner and 16 of his pals have been arrested, and are now on trial in the Austrian city of Graz. The hearings are expected to last all month.

Martin Sellner - now in the dock

It has been reported that “Already, after today's detailed and meandering remarks by Martin Sellner, it will almost certainly cover all those dates”. The charge sheet is as might be expected: “The defendants are accused of incitement, membership and creation of a criminal organization, property damage and coercion”.

The neo-Nazi connection was also clear: “They were accompanied by Richard Pfingstl and Felix Budin, who became known through their activities for the neo-Nazi website alpen-donau.info … it remains clear that the Identitarians are interwoven with the Austrian neo-Nazi scene”. Also, “To what extent a conviction is likely as a possible outcome is difficult to assess. However, it is clear that the public prosecutor's office in Graz is far better prepared than many observers have assumed and intends to provide proof of the charges”.

This robust response to far-right activism has been echoed in France, where another ten so-called Identitarians have been arrested recently. Strangely, given the opportunities this gives Lennon and his pals to amplify their “free speech” narrative, they are not showing any support, or even recognition, of the Identitarians’ plight.

Had they taken any notice, they would have found Sellner’s defence had echoes of that used by real Nazis in the late 1940s. He claimed he was “only invited” to participate in far-right activity. There is no news on his defence for those “stickers with razor blades attached”, or of the Turk-baiting “Erdogan, give your Turks ham”.

And, as John O’Connell has pointed out, “'GI' is a Paramilitary Trained Neo-Fascist Group who have declared War on all Muslims in Europe”. This is the group who patrol the streets, offering the homeless “warm pork meals” in one of their many efforts to get the majority on side, while cynically engaging in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.

Those seventeen defendants in that Graz courtroom are Stephen Yaxley Lennon’s friends. The kinds of people he would fly out to Vienna to comfort after their expulsion from the UK. They contain many alleged neo-Nazis. They are accused of paramilitary activity. But Lennon claims he is not a racist. Perhaps that is why he and his pals are keeping quiet.

Law enforcement authorities across Europe are beginning to call time on the far-right and their activities. Because it isn’t about their free speech. I’ll just leave that one there.

Katie Hopkins Scotland Lies EXPOSED

The Scottish Sun wanted answers when a little girl was found dead on the Isle of Bute. “What happened to Alesha MacPhail, when did she go missing on the Isle of Bute and where was her body found? The six-year-old girl vanished while staying with her dad and grandparents - and was found dead three hours later”.

Viewers may still want to look away now

Then came the worse news. “The death was initially being treated as unexplained but late on the night of July 3 police confirmed they had launched a murder investigation … Police confirmed the youngster’s body was discovered in woodland on the site of the abandoned Kyles of Bute Hydropathic Hotel by a member of the public … The hotel was demolished in the 1970s and is only around a 20 minute walk from where she vanished”.

Who would give the answer? We were not long in finding out: pro-am motormouth Katie Hopkins instinctively knew Who Done It. “For an island with close to zero crime, there has been a recent disturbing trend on the Isle of Bute, Scotland” she told solemnly, linking the killing to the recent arrival of 19 refugee families from Syria.

So Ferret Scotland decided to fact check Hatey Katie, noting “The tweet was later deleted and replaced by a link to a story about the girl’s death, then a screenshot of an article about Syrian refugees settling in Bute ‘tweeted without comment’”. Nudge nudge, wink wink, a nod’s as good as a wink to a blind bigot.

But it was her original Tweet, juxtaposing news of the little girl’s death with an article on sex crimes, that was the main focus of that fact check. As they told, “She highlighted a portion of the first article, which read ‘However, sexual crimes, including rape and attempted rape, are up 29 per cent on last year’s figures, while sexual assaults have jumped up 45 per cent.’” But there was a problem here.

“The statistics in the article actually refer to Argyll and Bute, which covers a larger area than just the Isle of Bute. The Argyll and Bute council area’s latest comparable estimated population is 87,130. The most recent population estimate for the Isle of Bute is 6,129, which is just over seven per cent of the council area”. What a surprise.

Ferret Scotland concluded, after analysing recent data, that “There is also no evidence of a trend of increasing sexual crime … Argyll and Bute’s rate of sexual crime remains lower than the Scottish average”. Worse, “The statistics in the article Hopkins shared are for 2014-15 to 2015-16, and the Syrian refugee settlement programme only began in December, three months before the end of this period”.

So Ferret Scotland gave Ms Hopkins an FFS, which equates roughly to a Politifact Pants On Fire. And what is worse, after it was revealed that the suspected killer was known to the girl’s family, she just blithely Tweeted “These murders are typically carried out by a family member/ known contact. The Fear is not knowing the predators face”.

Smearing 19 refugee families and just walking away? Being Katie Hopkins means never having to say you’re sorry. Even if it does make you seriously skint.

The Sun Reveals Who Runs Britain

Theresa May and her cabinet are having an awayday at Chequers, where they are, supposedly, to agree on a negotiating position for a Brexit deal with the EU. This, we are led to believe, will include significant regulatory alignment with the EU. And someone not in the cabinet is unhappy about that, to the extent of sending an emissary into Downing Street yesterday evening to register his displeasure.

That someone, to no surprise at all, is Rupert Murdoch, and the emissary was his deeply unpleasant gofer Tony Gallagher, still for some reason the editor of the Sun, whose presence ahead of that crunch awayday has done more than raise eyebrows. Why this should be can be ascertained by one look at today’s lead article and editorial.

“Brexiteers fear Theresa May has left a future US trade deal in tatters thanks to her plans to align with the EU on food and agriculture … Furious Brexiteer Ministers and MPs have said  her plans would tie the country’s hands and vowed to vote down any such measure” screams the headline, before letting slip who is batting for whom.

“The Sun can reveal they secretly met on early on Wednesday morning in Boris Johnson’s Foreign Office to coordinate how to hold the PM’s feet to the fire over a proposed customs sell out to Brussels”. Really? We know that there was a meeting yesterday evening, but one a day earlier? Who told them that? Then we hear from “One cabinet source”, who tells “The resistance will make their case very firmly to the full Cabinet”.

Who might that be? As if you need to ask. It’s Bozza himself, doing what the Murdoch mafiosi tell him, for fear that they might open the safe of incriminating material and end his political career. How can I be so certain? Well, despite all the threats of resignation over Theresa May’s plans, “allies of Boris Johnson last night predicted he won’t resign as Foreign Secretary even if he loses the colossal fight today”.

He’s going to stay put: after all, the Murdoch press need their sources. And another giveaway came with today’s Sun editorial: “If we aren’t a fully independent trading power, how can we truly claim we’ve left the EU? It is The Sun’s key ‘red line’ alongside ending free movement, which Theresa May is ­adamant she will do”.

Not Theresa May’s “red line”. Not the Tories’ “red line”. The Murdoch press’ “red line”.

Small wonder the comment was adverse and deeply cynical, with James Felton noting “Inviting the editor of the Sun round for a chit chat the night before giant brexit decisions doesn’t exactly scream ‘taking back control’”. Mark Di Stefano of BuzzFeed went further: “On a night of drama about what’s about to happen to Brexit, the editor of The Sun newspaper pictured walking into Downing St. Absolutely. Unreal”.

Owen Jones quipped “The editor of The Sun off to give the PM some orders”. Labour MP Dan Carden was unimpressed. “Sure sign the Tories are planning a Brexit of lies, bigotry and against the interests of working people, when they invite the editor of The S*n for tea – the day before Cabinet showdown at Chequers”. And Jo Phillips simply said “Why is the Editor of The Sun in ... think we know why”. Kind of reverse Soviet Russia.

Talking of which, Nicholas Whithorn explained “In the Soviet Union the editor of Pravda went to the Kremlin and was told what to write in line with government policy. In Tory Britain the editor of the Sun goes to Number 10 to tell the PM what to do in line with his editorial policy”. And former Everton great Peter Reid added “Ladies and Gentlemen, Democracy”. There was only one actor missing from this farce.

And that is Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre. But perhaps he used the back entrance.

Another Rat Leaves The Sinking Fawkes

The perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble at the Guido Fawkes blog have seen their ranks severely depleted this week: first came the loss of teaboy Alex “Billy Liar” Wickham to BuzzFeed News - how much “news” comes out of that site in the future may be an interesting one - and now it seems apprentice sandwich monitor, oops sorry, “senior reporter” Ross Kempsell is to leave as well.

Kempsell, who was taken on by The Great Guido following his eavesdropping on a conversation between real journalist Paul Mason and a Spanish MP in a Liverpool eatery at the time of the 2016 Labour Party Conference, had previously worked for Fame Flynet, the agency best known for just happening to turn up and snap disgraced now-former MP Simon Danczuk and his second ex-wife Karen.

He’s been on the Fawkes payroll for less than two years, and like Wickham, would not be able to identify journalism if it jumped up and kicked him in the undercarriage. So who is taking him on? Ah well. Here we encounter the Murdoch connection: Kempsell is on his way to TalkRADIO, a Murdoch property with, whisper it quietly, Very Few Listeners.

Ross Kempsell before joining the Fawkes rabble ...

But what will he do there? Press Gazette has told “Guido Fawkes chief reporter Ross Kempsell has joined Talkradio as the commercial radio station’s first political editor … Kempsell will be on-air later this month. Talkradio is owned by Wireless Group, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News UK - owners of the Sun and Times newspaper titles”.

There was more. “Kempsell will shape the station’s wider political coverage and react to events and breaking stories in his new role, according to a spokesperson … Talkradio programme director Dennie Morris said: ‘Ross immediately impressed us with his knowledge and passion for UK politics and his natural flair for broadcasting’”.

... and after two years' working hard and, er, playing hard

Yeah, right. The connection with the Murdoch empire - when Rebekah Brooks tells Staines to jump, he actually tries to - is probably more relevant. And what this move really means was summed up by a photo of the new hire with tedious morning rabbit purveyor Julia Hartley Dooda, while Morris noted his role would include “going head to head on Talkradio with the likes of Julia Hartley-Brewer at Breakfast”.

Thus ensuring that the Murdoch-approved, right-wing, Europhobic, fervently pro-Brexit, pro-Trump and anti-anyone not cheering for Rupe’s pals line is maintained. All of which must be terribly wearing for poor Kempsell. I mean, look at his mugshot from 2016, and the one used by Press Gazette. How does someone’s facial expression ch-ch-cha-cha-change so much over just two years? Perhaps he has a cold and sneezes a lot.

And here's the latest work experience student

And what of Paul Staines after his two best-known writers have gone? Ah well. There will be no shortage of replacements: the only problem The Great Guido faces is securing the services of those who can be trusted to be loyal to Himself Personally Now.

As to journalistic talent, there wasn’t any attached to Wickham or Kempsell - forget the faux establishment plaudits - and their replacements won’t need any. All they really need is to be able to trawl a target’s social media history, obediently recycle press releases from CCHQ and right-wing “think tanks”, cherry-pick figures that suit the Fawkes agenda, and otherwise lie with the same frequency as drawing breath. No real talent required.