Monday, April 13, 2009

Did the smear campaign start months ago? - Story moves forward

Nadine Dorries has just been on BBC Breakfast about the McBride affair and she appears to have moved the "Smeargate" story forward just a bit. She has just told BBC News that she was contacted by the nationals some time ago about the smear against her.

The implication appears to be that someone may have already begun trying to push the smears into the mainstream. This kind of flies in the face of the "they never saw the light of day" line that we've been told over the weekend.

Who was responsible for pushing the story to the nationals? Was it McBride? Could it have been Draper? Might it have been McBride desk buddy Tom Watson? Seems to me this story may very well have more to come.

It's also worth noting that Charlie Whelan was included on these emails. Who was it that paid for the registration the Red Rag smear domain? After all, Unite provide backing for Draper and Whelan works for Unite doesn't he? Thus far he has remained silent for some reason.

Update: Guido notes Nadine's said the same on GMTV before BBC News.

4 comments:

Willie said...

I quite agree. I think we have the opportunity to see a full example of NuLab's rebuttal technique exposed. It will be necessary to prise the information out but watching ground being given as facts emerge should be both entertaining, instructive intensely angering. I dare not articulate where this expose might lead on the grounds of creating bad luck and stopping it.

Anonymous said...

It's likely that they were going to test the waters with a smear on Nadine Dorries. When that fell flat and the dead tree news refused to print, they set up their own channel - redrag.

The timing issue, I suspect, has always been to do the greatest damage in the run-up to an election.

Does that point to Bottler considering an election early this year and chickening out (AGAIN!), when he saw the polls? Is this why redrag was set up in January, but nothing has, yet, appeared?

I think that they were going to put this into action around this time next year - early enough to do damage, but not early enough for the victims to clear their names.

Linda said...

Looks like it might turn into a "Labourgate" and you know where the American equivalent lead!

Anonymous said...

Could the delay be connected with the Cameron family's recent bereavement?

Even a 'special advisor' wouldn't be seen kicking a man when he's down - it would be a PR disaster.