If my recollection is right, it was Guido Fawkes who first broke the story on Peter Hain's campaign funding on the afternoon of 3 December HERE. It was this story which provoked Peter Hain to contact the Electoral Commission. If Guido hadn't run it, would Hain have come forward? I doubt it very much.
But those of you who have longer memories may remember THIS post by Guido back in May. This revealed Hain's campaign budget and posed the question: how much is Peter Hain's campaign costing? It was that blogpost which ruined Hain's chances in the deputy leadership election. The huge figures went down very badly among Labour Party members, and particularly the trade unions.
Bloggers do not exist to get political scalps. But when a blogger reveals possible law breaking and drives the media debate, as Guido has done, let's recognise that as a good thing and give him the credit he is due.
Guido seems to AGREE. As does Mick Fealty on BRASSNECK. And Roy Greenslade seems to believe there is something in it.
43 comments:
Anyone who doubts the need for political bloggers, let this be a lesson to you.
Is it the first of a few? Will Brown's bunker become a house of cards?
Now that Hain has gone, where does that leave the rest of them involved in "donorgate".
Is Wendy Alexander still safe?
Exactly right, Iain
(& gracious of you to give credit)
Once again the question has to be - where was the mainstream media in all this? It is all far too cosy.
Three cheers for Guido.
I don't think anyone wil be denying him his credit Iain.....how green are you on a scale of light Birch to deep tropical ?
'Bloggers do not exist to get political scalps'.
I didn't realise. Any fair narrative on the Hain saga would have to include Guido's role. Well done that man.
I foresee legislation to "regulate" bloggers from breaking inconvenient stories.
Clearing his name? He admitted breaking the law.
He should present himself at court, admit guilt and be sent down. Anything else will be a total waste of taxpayers money...oh, hold on...
actually he did so badly among Labour Party members because most of them don't like him very much, and he is too puffed-up to realise it
Now Now Iain Don’t be so naïve.
The Blogger is just the messenger. Guido scoop wasn’t unearthed by his brilliant journalist skills – it was passed to him by “”Sources””. You can work out who the sources are yourself.
I wonder how the bloggers will feel if it is found that there is no case for Hain to answer? Will they then apologise for having driven an innocent man from office? Don't hold your breath!
Who knows. After yesterday the Met may even grow a spine.
Paddy, good try, but he does have a case to answer as he himself has admitted!
I sincerely hope that Wendy Alexander gets the book thrown at her. She refuses to answer TV presenters' questions and sends the horrendous Jackie Baillie to speak on her behalf and we get the same old diatribe from her. No-one else appears from the labour benches to want to support her.
W.ALEXANDER OUT OUT OUT!
See- Matthew Taylor was right- you can't trust bloggers to be left to themselves... Who knows what they might say to influence the public's political views?
Iain
Oh alright ... "if they find that having looked at the case there is no reason to continue any proceedings against him"!
By the way I have just listened to Grayling on Radio 4 and thought that he was very good! How's that for a generous tribute!
Congratulations Iain , Guido et al
another one of the sleazy nest kicked over the edge
Gawd , I bet they just bloody hate blogs and bloggers
I hear Hain has gone home to drown his sorrows in cuprinol !
Paddy, very good. keep it up!
Guido 1 Dale 0
Going to be launching a campaign against anyone soon Iain?
What a great afternoon this is. The sun is shining (Hain will be pleased)
Hain is hero Fawkes is abully and an enemy of the people Sometimes the bad guys win.
Anon at 1.32 - not today they didn't - the good guys won! Everyone's hats off to Guido!
(Who only wrote the truth, by the way...............)
Amazing, a "New" Lab drone has actually resigned.
Let's hope it's catching !
Did Hain claim that he was resigning "to spend more time on remand"?
Hain is hero [sic] Fawkes is abully [sic] and an enemy of the people [sic] Sometimes the bad guys win.
that is the most incompetent trolling I have ever seen.
I can only assume that it is a tory trying to ignite some flames...
(even NuLab trolls don't talk about 'the people' these days, surely?)
2:23 He fought the south african state police what creep does not regard that as heroic.
Guido just repeated what the Western Mail had.
2:23 He fought the south african state police what creep does not regard that as heroic.
Robert Mugabe fought against the repressive white-minority rule in Rhodesia; does that make him a 'hero' in your book? because it doesn't in mine. What about mass murdering dictator Joseph Vissarionovich Jugashvili? He did fight the evil that is nazism, after all...
Tit.
Well said Iain, If it had been a Tory government the BBC would have done it, but as it is their Labour friends they brush all this sort of thing under the carpet.
To think we have to pay for the BBC. I dont want to support Labour supporters.
Paddy Briggs does it again.
Mr Briggs do you doubt that he does not have a case to answer.
Have you been away on a 12 month holiday.
3:09 you are the tit. How can you compare hain top those people what an utter creep. You are a coward for making sich bizzare creepy comments.
Good of you to let us know what "bloggers do not exist for".
It is, of course, up to each blogger to decide what they want to achieve, whatever you might think.
Guido has campaigned against Hain and now claims, with some justification, his "scalp".
His political blog has had an effect upon politics, unlike a certain series of useless lists I could mention.
Benny Austwick said...
Guido 1 Dale 0
Surely you mean
Dale = 0
Potato gobbling hedge funding tax haven Irish citizen = 1
Anon 3:52 is poisonous/kevin
Bravo Guido! Bravo Iain!
Anonymong at 3.52
You are Dirty European Socialist and I claim my £5.
4:48 I am educated, and have a far higher IQ than a moron like you i find your use of the term mong as an insult creepy and bizzare. As i thought only your type of bully boy cheers at the destruction of honourable man.
Congratulations Mr Fawkes you are great at wrecking careers. What other talent do you have.
4:01 Yes lists have no purpose. Look at the soccer league table you morn and then tell me that.
Why does Brown say Peter Hain is doing the honourable thing when he seemed to be dead against the idea of his resigning only a few hours ago?
Hain was the editor of a book titled "Policing the Police".
Now Guido has to write "Policing Peter Hain"
What a waste of time and space! Steve Richards upstaged him and stole the show. Those that can do up front do, those that cannot should stay in the shadows and snipe away and not make a complete fool of himself! He needs to recognise his limits. No prizes for stupidity. He is due no credit, that is, he is worthless. Whatever your faults, you can do TV and you are good at it.
Smart work by Guido, only slightly marred by the fact he left a CCHQ legal disclaimer on the gloating e-mail he circulated yesterday . . .
Odd behaviour for one who says he's not a Tory.
Still, live by the sword, die by the sword (rack, axe etc)
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/threelinewhip/jan08/whoisguidoworkingfor.htm#comments
Guido very slow in his denial of the Kirkup story, and not responding to requests for answers.
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