Nothing is Too Good for the Worker’s LunchBob Crow’s Afternoon Drinking Session

Stephen Twigg and the Sharkado | Speccie
Stamp Out Stamp Duty | Mail
The Story of Recess | BuzzFeed
“Be entertaining, noisy, treat opponents like the devil” | Telegraph
Jeff Bezos re-Kindles Hope at The Washington Post | Politico
Labour Leadership Is Running Out of Time | LabourList
WaPo Puts British Papers in Context | Alex Massie
Cameron Must Not Let Osborne Run the Show | Times
Even Great Strategists Barely Change Elections | FT
Stamp out Stamp Duty | ConservativeHome
Aid Charity CEO Salaries Too High | Telegraph

Boris discusses his post 2016 plans on LBC:

‘Something will crop up.’

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013

Nothing is Too Good for the Worker’s Lunch
Bob Crow’s Afternoon Drinking Session

A downgrade from his usual choice of Scott’s, but a productive day for RMT union baron Bob Crow, who was spied by a conspirator sinking beers all afternoon.

Via @LondonJase

Peers Confused By Twitter, Call Each Other Usernames in Lords

Reading his collection of Lords Hansards, as Guido spends all of his summer doing, he came across this bizarre exchange from last week. Confused Peers have taken to referring to each other with their Twitter usernames:

Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative)
My Lords… the noble Baroness, Lady Basildon, has given notice that she wishes to debate this order again today, so it may be helpful if I briefly remind the House of the order’s intention.
Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour)
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her explanation. I should point out that I am only “Lady Basildon” on Twitter; it is usually Smith, but I am pleased to have the Minister as a follower on Twitter. 
Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative)
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Smith of Basildon. My apologies for using her Twitter moniker in the Chamber; I will avoid doing that again.

There is no escape.

Via @davelee

Boris Johnson’s Gift for George

Miliband was winning with an apple tree for Prince George, but better late than never, here the Mayor’s gift for the regal newborn:

Always on his message. 

Via @peterdominiczak

An Honest Labour Politician

Oona King is really selling her political diaries, well not literally, but she’s really trying. In an email to colleagues she admits sales are are a little disappointing.

“Happily it’s funnier than it sounds, and I was delighted that at both ends of the political spectrum The Guardian and the Daily Mail gave it glowing reviews. The Guardian wrote “King tells her tale with humility, wisdom, and considerable wit.” My publisher, however, told me it was the slowest-selling political diaries she’d ever had (with the exception of David Blunkett’s) and that I should do more to publicise it. Hence this email – please forgive me.”

Sales must be really bad – not even David Blunkett has read his book.

MP Attacks Ed for Incompetent Message With Incompetent Attack

Another day and another Labour MP joins the summer of discontent bandwagon. Though given the box-office appeal of Geraint Davies, Ed won’t be throwing his Michael Sandel summer reading off the villa balcony just yet. The Welsh MP has taken to the pages of the Indy to moan about Ed’s messaging:

“The party’s challenge is to provide a compelling case as to why Britain would be better off with Labour. Firstly, the problem is that the electorate doesn’t yet see a clear choice between the parties on cuts vs growth. Secondly, the Tories have been relentless in asserting that Labour messed up the economy. Not rebutting this charge makes us look like a shamefaced schoolboy admitting responsibility by omission.”

Amusingly the sage like member for Swansea West followed his rant about Labour being accused of over-spending, by admitting that Labour overspent in the boom years:

“Only a third of the 2010 deficit was due to Labour investing above earnings”

Only a third! So that’s alright then, because it was “investment” presumably? So Labour’s borrowing to spend left Britain in a terrible position to face a financial crisis, so only some of the deficit is their fault?When you are criticising your boss for incompetent messaging, it might be best to sort your own confused attack out first…

Two Faced Chuka Is Back
Umunna Slams Bookies Then Takes Their Cash

So Labour’s fightback is going well. With Ed Balls still nowhere to be seen, the cost of living campaign has been left in the expert hands of Chris Leslie and now the Standard have whacked Chuka. Despite recently pledging to‘control the number of betting shops’ in his constituency because of the ‘huge concern that some streets in our area are steadily filling up with betting shops and payday loan companies that take advantage of our community, rather than help us’, the two-faced Shadow Business Secretary has accepted a £20,000 donation from Neil Goulden, the Chairman Emeritus of the Gala Coral Group. Coral have at least two shops in Chuka’s seat…
The Tories have returned to their favourite game, lining up Bob Neill:

“Can anyone really credibly ever believe anything Chuka Umuna says? He says one thing in public and does another behind closed doors. His hypocrisy seems to be limitless. The only thing we know he truly believes is that the capital is full of  “trash” and “c list” wannabes.”

Chuka says it’s all fine because it was a personal donation. Guido looks forward to reading about it in depth on his Wikipedia page…
UPDATE: Goulden is also head of the Association of British Bookmakers, lobbyists for the betting industry, which blows the personal donation line out of the water. Lets home Chuka remembers to declare his interest every time he speaks on the issue now.

Former Tory Treasurer Peter Cruddas Writing Book

Yesterday Guido revealed that former Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas was throwing a shindig to thank his supporters after his libel victory against the Sunday Times. Given that the Tories are refusing to give him an official apology after hanging him out to dry when he was caught up in the sting, Dave and co certainly won’t be on the invite list, but Guido now hears their worries will not stop there. Cruddas is planning on writing a book about the affair which will make for grim reading for his old Tory colleagues. The services of a ghost writer are being sought. Happy reading…

Amazon on Dead Tree Press: Buy It Now

The Washington Post has been sold for a quarter of the price that Facebook bought Instagram. It’s valuation at $250 million is $65 million less than Arianna managed to convince AOL to give her for the Huffington Post. The ultimate irony is that print is now being bought up by digital; it’s believed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is spending less than 1% of his fortune on his purchase of this American institution. If this is the price of the Post, other papers better sell up soon before their value drops even further. Guido preparing a bid for the Guardian…
UPDATE: For context: