Things may come and things may go

When I took a break from blogging I felt I needed to take stock of the situation and ask myself a few questions about what I wanted to do. I came to the conclusion that my terms of reference were a bit narrow. This is odd, since most successful blogs have a clear and maybe narrow remit. Some are avowedly political, some are just ranty, some are musical and some defy description. I had to think about my USP and the nearest thing I could identify is to go with my personality. My personality is that I am a dilletante, a dabbler, a butterfly; I am interested in so many things that I could spend forever doing this.

And so it is that, with the indulgence of my readers, who I get such a kick from, I shall do more of the real me - that is, the Weasel whose interests extend beyond political commentary and ranting. Stand by, for example, for more music. I love music. And I love art. If this blog is anything, it should be a reflection, not only of my daily toil and strife, but of my life and loves. So be it.

And so it is with a not very heavy heart that I say "goodbye" to Tom Harris MP.

Tom's blog is interesting and enjoyable to read. However, of late Tom has seen fit to ban my comments. The latest was one on Alastair Campbell.

You can read his post HERE. 

I felt this puff for the former and not so former spinmeister was a little to subjective, so I thought I would try to balance the view using mostly the words of those who are in a position to know.

Here is the reply that Tom banned. Make your mind up yourself as to whether the censorship is justified or the reasons why:

You are basically saying Campbell is a nice, brave, misunderstood man who, like the rest of us, occasionally takes things to heart.

You obviously missed the last ten years of stories of how journalists have been threatened and abused by the same Alastair Campbell, in language that makes Malcolm Tucker look like Valerie Singleton?

This post flies in the face of reality.

"Your modus operandi was about bullying...I’m turning out people to vote in my own constituency. Many of whom were worried about some aspects of what you represented in the Labour Party" (Diane Abbott, This Week)

"You were screaming abuse down the phone on a daily basis." (Michael Portillo, This Week)

"I particularly – had got myself into a situation where combat was the only language being spoken" (AC)

Insiders like Lance Price (Campbell's Deputy) have confirmed the view that lies and deceit were at the heart of the Number Ten spin machine:

"some policies that weren't really ready and which the civil service knew weren't ready and which actually the ministers concerned knew weren't ready that were announced ahead of time simply because we wanted to regain control of the media agenda at a time when other stories that we didn't like were all over the front pages." (LP)

Campbell is a self-confessed official liar, (Cherie Blair) as was and still is the Number Ten press office.

The atmosphere is poisonous, poisonous enough to hang Peter Watt out to dry and poisonous enough for Gordon's advisors to think that Watt's failure to be prosecuted was "bad for Gordon"

Nobody is doubting his devotion to the cause, but that is the preserve of anybody who thinks the project comes ahead of integrity and truth.