Speccie Blog Talks a Load of Boles
Looks like the Speccie post-Boris has gone downhill already. It has a story about a 'coalition' meeting held at the Adam Smith Institute on Tuesday 6 December. (The 'coalition' is an informal coffee morning for right-wing wonks hosted at the ASI.) This particular meeting was sparsely attended despite the mince pies - and most of those there had backed Davis. So the Speccie's most likely source for a story about the Cameron project is suspect.
Nicholas Boles is alleged by the Speccie blogger (Dominic Cummings) to have told the 'coalition' "in no uncertain terms: if the Cameron project works out, then you face another decade plus of political irrelevance, no money, and no influence". Something that does not sound very likely or authentically Boles. The Speccie blog goes on to recommend Cameron lies to the right-wing, who will it predicts, face a bleak future. Boles has complained about the article to the Speccie - he says "I said nothing of the kind. In fact, I favour a low tax economy, Policy Exchange, of which I'm the Director, has just brought out a new publication arguing for more school choice and I'm an outspoken supporter of the decision to withdraw from the EPP."
Nicholas Boles is alleged by the Speccie blogger (Dominic Cummings) to have told the 'coalition' "in no uncertain terms: if the Cameron project works out, then you face another decade plus of political irrelevance, no money, and no influence". Something that does not sound very likely or authentically Boles. The Speccie blog goes on to recommend Cameron lies to the right-wing, who will it predicts, face a bleak future. Boles has complained about the article to the Speccie - he says "I said nothing of the kind. In fact, I favour a low tax economy, Policy Exchange, of which I'm the Director, has just brought out a new publication arguing for more school choice and I'm an outspoken supporter of the decision to withdraw from the EPP."
13 comments:
Talking of blogs, if you have any influence, can you tell Conservative Home that today is not Sun 11 Dec. Either my machine has gone mad, or Conservative Home has reset itself to last weekend.
I think Tim is having technical problems.
How do you know that it was sparsley attended? Were you there?
The service that provides Tim's software is currently down and they have a holding "snapshot" up.
It was sparsely attended. This is a blog of political gossip, it has had some success. So you should not be surprised that Guido knows the attendance list and has a good idea who leaked the story.
Guido even knows about your forthcoming book. So there.
Guido- like you, I'm shocked that anyone could contemplate lying for political reasons, but you can understand the Speccie's point.
So why on earth would the upstanding Mr Boles have said this?
Was he perhaps a little tired and emotional in the run-up to Christmas? But he's surely not the type to enjoy rubbing faces in ordure.
I hope it wasn't some misguided attempt to provoke one of those Clause 4 style bust-ups.
You know why Dave is so good at the despatch box? He always knows the line to take.
Wat,
11.00 am on a Tuesday is a bit early for hitting the bottle unless you are in charge of the LibDems or a left-of-centre foreign policy think-tank.
Dominic Cummings is shit stirring at the Speccie. The piece is bollocks.
Granny,
I like that one. So much I'll nick it.
Thought you might. Welcome!
"Dominic Cummings is shit stirring at the Speccie. The piece is bollocks."
That explains why after Boles complained, The Spectator took the article down, reconfirmed it with their sources and reposted it...
Someone is telling porkies, but it isn't The Spectator.
Cummings has re-phrased it. Notice that only one allegedly direct quote is now made.
Two of those present have confirmed that the Speccie story is true.
Dominic Cummings is effervescent.
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