Gordon Brown, Charlie Whelan and Me

Monday, 1st February 2010

There was some rather touching Twitter activity from Charlie Whelan over the weekend (I have corrected the spelling).
"Just got message from old pal Graham Sharpe at William Hill. Hung Parliament odds slashed to 2/1. Says 'Shrewd punters' are on this."
This is the nearest I have seen to an official admission that a hung parliament is the best the Labour Party can now hope for. As self-appointed guardian of the Prime Minister's interests, Whelan has taken a close interest in the selection process of new Labour PPCs, so he should be in a position to know.
Nick Cohen took this weekend's reports of Gordon Brown's treatment of staff to remind readers of his Standpoint blog about Whelan's threats against me before I left the New Statesman (delivered in true Whelan style to my wife at a press awards ceremony where she was nominated for a prize).
As the issue of my departure from the NS has now been picked up by Guido and Harry's Place I should probably clarify my position on this matter.
Former owner Geoffrey Robinson saw fit to write a letter to the Times denying that the Prime Minister had a role in my departure from the magazine. He also pointed out that the matter was covered by a mutual confidentiality agreement (thus breaching the agreement in quite spectacular fashion).

The following can be said about this without fear of further breaches:
1. The account of events at the UK Press Gazette Awards of 2008 as related in Private Eye and posted by Nick Cohen over the weekend is accurate. No apology has ever been made by Charlie Whelan for his disgraceful behaviour that evening. However, I have no evidence that he ever voiced his opinion to Geoffrey Robinson or Gordon Brown that I should be removed from my job.
2. Geoffrey Robinson made it clear that he disapproved of a programme I made for Channel 4 Dispatches on Ken Livingstone and an article I wrote for the Evening Standard urging people not to vote for Livingstone as mayor.
3. John Kampfner was removed as editor of the magazine shortly after the programme was aired.
4. Geoffrey Robinson's preferred candidate for the job was Patrick Hennessy, the political editor of the Sunday Telegraph and a Brownite loyalist. I was urged to apply for the job to stop this happening but continued to support the acting editor, Sue Matthias.
5. Maintaining my position and independence as political editor became increasingly difficult from the moment I exposed the inner workings of Livingstone's city hall.
6. I was deeply unhappy with the decision by the magazine to settle a libel action with the Iraqi billionaire Nadhmi Auchi.

This may not be of interest to many people but I happen to think the freedom of the press is a precious thing.

As I have said previously, it was time to move on from the NS.

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seb

February 2nd, 2010 9:08am Report this comment

We've all read that Brown wants to remain Labour Party leader, come what may. Kirkcaldy's Leading Autist, though, is confident of a far better result than this. Economic news has been slightly better in recent days. The opposition's lead in the polls is shortening. A hung parliament is definitely not what KLA is now counting on. He's counting on the biggest Brown Bounce of all: lose the popular vote by 4 or so percent, lose in English constituencies by, say, 7 percent of the popular vote, and still win the largest number of seats in Westminster. It's not only the worst nightmare millions of voters could experience; five more years of Gordo is also Labour's worst nightmare. Most in his party, I'm sure, want him out, whatever happens in May.

Snowman

February 2nd, 2010 12:38pm Report this comment

What else could you expect from a bunch of devious manipulators. Hopefully, you won’t have to put up with it for long.

Nina

February 2nd, 2010 2:53pm Report this comment

Maybe you were just behaving like an arse Martin. The fact that you're writing this 2 years after leaving certainly suggests that may have been the case.

Vicky

February 2nd, 2010 4:02pm Report this comment

I'm interested in How the Lib Dems react to a hung parliament and is this something they could benefit from? Would they have any say at all if it is a hung parliament? I read an interesting article on www.charter2010.co.uk regarding polls showing that a hung parliament is very likely. What do you think about this?
I think that parties should commit themselves now to working to produce a multi-party supported government on a fixed four-year term.

Guido Fawkes

February 2nd, 2010 7:50pm Report this comment

Slight typo with Mr Hennessy's name. It is Patsy, as in Downing Street Patsy.

Dirty Euro

February 3rd, 2010 12:09am Report this comment

Sorry that you got fired but is it that surprising that you campaigned against the mayor of London being labour, while political editor of the left wing version of the spectator. When Mr Livingstone was seen as hero for many on the left.
I think you gave your sincere view on Mr Livingstone and you should be respected for that, but if labour people are serious about keeping power, this is how you would expect them to react.
If Mr Ashcroft owned the spectator would he allow Fraser Nelson to campaign for the labour party to win the next general election?

Praguetory

February 3rd, 2010 11:51pm Report this comment

Where do they find these Brown loyalists? In real life, I can't find any. I'm not sure how you will take this but the tone and content of the NS since your departure has taken a nose-dive.