SmearGate

andrewb · 12-04-2009, 08:55

Well I thought this was an important news story as it's been unfolding, but it seems to have got much bigger than I thought. My blog posts on it are getting hammered from Google searches, far, far more than at any previous time

Damian McBride is Gordon Browns special adviser, he's been with him since he started at the treasury and is still with him now as PM. He's the head of strategy in Downing Street. He's been caught collaborating in false smear campaigns against the Conservatives. He sent e-mails to a Labour blogger named Derek Draper, who runs LabourList.org. They even discuss that they will put the smears on a new anonymous website, named Red Rag. They claim it was banter between friends and was never intended to be published, however other ministers were copied into the e-mails, and the Red Rag website was purchased, so it was ready to go live.

Yesterday Damian McBride resigned. I expect Derek Draper will go soon too.

jaysay · 12-04-2009, 09:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

Well I thought this was an important news story as it's been unfolding, but it seems to have got much bigger than I thought. My blog posts on it are getting hammered from Google searches, far, far more than at any previous time

Damian McBride is Gordon Browns special adviser, he's been with him since he started at the treasury and is still with him now as PM. He's the head of strategy in Downing Street. He's been caught collaborating in false smear campaigns against the Conservatives. He sent e-mails to a Labour blogger named Derek Draper, who runs LabourList.org. They even discuss that they will put the smears on a new anonymous website, named Red Rag. They claim it was banter between friends and was never intended to be published, however other ministers were copied into the e-mails, and the Red Rag website was purchased, so it was ready to go live.

Yesterday Damian McBride resigned. I expect Derek Draper will go soon too.

Andrew could you please clarify, is Derek Draper a Blogger or a Blagger

emamum · 12-04-2009, 11:13

i thought this thread was gunna be about cervical cancer tests

yerself · 12-04-2009, 11:25

I thought it was about smearing grease on your garden gate hinges to stop them squeaking.

cashman · 12-04-2009, 11:53

ya missed the real important point, the fact that the guys computer was hacked, but thats hardly surprising from you.

ya only thought it was important cos its the opposition. yer pathetic.

andrewb · 12-04-2009, 13:27

That's because there's no proof that his e-mail was hacked. It was most likely a concerned civil servant. The labour blogger Derek Draper says it was hacked, but he's a proved liar, he claimed the e-mails never existed only a few days ago. He'll spin anything.

cashman · 12-04-2009, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

That's because there's no proof that his e-mail was hacked. It was most likely a concerned civil servant. The labour blogger Derek Draper says it was hacked, but he's a proved liar. He'll spin anything.

and you dont?

i'll stick wi "Pathetic.

andrewb · 12-04-2009, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

and you dont?

i'll stick wi "Pathetic.

No I don't. Just edited my post to include the bit where Derek Draper lies about the e-mails even existing, the same way he's probably doing so with the 'hacker' malarky. Damage limitation. If you're going to call me pathetic for posting about a major scandal, just because it's anti-labour then that says a lot about you.

cashman · 12-04-2009, 13:42

i am not calling ya pathetic fer posting it, if ya could read without bias ya would easily see that, so i shall add "Incapable" to my list.

andrewb · 12-04-2009, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

i am not calling ya pathetic fer posting it, if ya could read without bias ya would easily see that, so i shall add "Incapable" to my list.

You've incorrectly assumed that I only think it's important because it's opposition? You're basing calling me pathetic on an incorrect assumption.

cashman · 12-04-2009, 14:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

You've incorrectly assumed that I only think it's important because it's opposition? You're basing calling me pathetic on an incorrect assumption.

no i am saying cos ya did not put the full story, you deliberately omitted to say that there was also a doubt as to how the info was obtained, i.e. allegation of "Hacking" you did this fer yer own political ends, n accused the guy of being a liar, which i do not know fer sure,one way or the other, how would you like it if i said your "incorrectly assumed" was a lie?

onlyme · 12-04-2009, 14:27

Dont care if it was hacked or not, the important bit is the actual story.

Or does it make everything ok, cos people werent meant to find out??

Think its absolutely scandalous, no matter which political party it was. The sooner we have a party that can actually rely on their policies rather than attacking the opposition, the sooner we may have a country to be proud of.

And that statement includes certain tory members as well

andrewb · 12-04-2009, 14:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

no i am saying cos ya did not put the full story, you deliberately omitted to say that there was also a doubt as to how the info was obtained, i.e. allegation of "Hacking" you did this fer yer own political ends, n accused the guy of being a liar, which i do not know fer sure,one way or the other, how would you like it if i said your "incorrectly assumed" was a lie?

Derek Draper told the Daily Politics that no such e-mails existed. The e-mails do exist though. He lied on national television to cover his own back. No reason why he wouldn't claim they were achieved by hacking, to limit damage. As now you seem more concerned about the lack of hacking in what I've posted than the massive scandal, so it seems to have worked.

None of the papers I have read whom have seen the emails say they came from hacking. Only Draper the proved liar is saying it.

cashman · 12-04-2009, 14:38

i once read in the paper that "Elvis" was still alive, i prefer to see what emerges oer a while,you obviously take em as gospel when it suits yer purpose.

jaysay · 12-04-2009, 15:20

I think the thing is if this story had been the other way round, this thread would have already been a 100 posts long