Slippery as a Silverfish
Dizzy got a nice scoop* yesterday. Basically Silverfish TV have bought up gordonbrown4leader.com and similar sites. So what? Well Gordon doesn't officially have a campaign and when he does he will be expected to list cash donations and donations in kind. The Electoral Commission is taking a tough line on this sort of stuff. Silverfish rushed out an explanation that they had bought the domain merely as a speculative punt to make money (something - as Dizzy points out this morning - is prohibited by the internet authorities). Guido frankly finds it unbelieveable that Silverfish really were going to try and make a quick profit out of Gordon Brown.
Silverfish.TV are Labour's preferred new media / video producers, doing most recently Scottish and Welsh Labour's Party Political Broadcasts. They also did the "Dave the Chameleon" video for Labour, for free. Obviously it costs quite a lot to do an expensive CGI animation, but they didn't charge the Labour party a penny. They do however have a number of juicy contracts awarded by Labour cronies and paid for by the taxpayer.
Do you see a pattern here? The Smith Institute is paid thousands of pounds to organise seminars for HM Treasury at the taxpayers expense. The Smith Institute gets to use No. 11 Downing Street for seminars for free. Opinion Leader Research is paid huge amounts to do polling for HM Treasury. Opinion Leader Research does polling for the Smith Institute for free. Silverfish are paid by Downing Street at fat rates, subsidising them to do "Dave the Chameleon" attack videos and coincidentally buy campaign websites on Gordon's behalf for free.
It is a corrupt practice, Gordon's campaign bills are being picked up by the taxpayer indirectly. In a secretive, behind closed doors, third-world style, "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours way". He is running an undeclared campaign, it is funded, and no declarations are being made to the Electoral Commission because the funding is covert. Donors get tax relief from HM Treasury on donations to the Smith Institute, which is a charity of which Gordon is the only identifiable beneficiary. His pollster gets HM Treasury contracts and produces positive push polling for him. Labour's friendly new media production outfit similarly wins Whitehall contracts and does work for Labour and Gordon for free. It has come to something when Nigerian newspapers are running stories about political corruption in Britain which feature the Smith Institute.
*Notice how despite Channel 4 News and the Times running with it, no credit was given to Dizzy. They say bloggers are parasitical leeches on the Dead-Tree-Press etc.
Silverfish.TV are Labour's preferred new media / video producers, doing most recently Scottish and Welsh Labour's Party Political Broadcasts. They also did the "Dave the Chameleon" video for Labour, for free. Obviously it costs quite a lot to do an expensive CGI animation, but they didn't charge the Labour party a penny. They do however have a number of juicy contracts awarded by Labour cronies and paid for by the taxpayer.
Do you see a pattern here? The Smith Institute is paid thousands of pounds to organise seminars for HM Treasury at the taxpayers expense. The Smith Institute gets to use No. 11 Downing Street for seminars for free. Opinion Leader Research is paid huge amounts to do polling for HM Treasury. Opinion Leader Research does polling for the Smith Institute for free. Silverfish are paid by Downing Street at fat rates, subsidising them to do "Dave the Chameleon" attack videos and coincidentally buy campaign websites on Gordon's behalf for free.
It is a corrupt practice, Gordon's campaign bills are being picked up by the taxpayer indirectly. In a secretive, behind closed doors, third-world style, "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours way". He is running an undeclared campaign, it is funded, and no declarations are being made to the Electoral Commission because the funding is covert. Donors get tax relief from HM Treasury on donations to the Smith Institute, which is a charity of which Gordon is the only identifiable beneficiary. His pollster gets HM Treasury contracts and produces positive push polling for him. Labour's friendly new media production outfit similarly wins Whitehall contracts and does work for Labour and Gordon for free. It has come to something when Nigerian newspapers are running stories about political corruption in Britain which feature the Smith Institute.*Notice how despite Channel 4 News and the Times running with it, no credit was given to Dizzy. They say bloggers are parasitical leeches on the Dead-Tree-Press etc.
54 comments:
From wiki:
"Lepisma saccharina (commonly called the fishmoth, urban silverfish or just the silverfish) is a small, wingless insect typically measuring between half to one inch.
Because of their nocturnal nature, the reproduction of silverfish has only recently been studied.
In buildings, silverfish can only exist in sufficiently humid, crevice-rich environments. If these two conditions are removed, the silverfish will not be able to survive. Other measures that may be taken to eliminate silverfish, at least temporarily, include the following:
A 1:1-ratio dispersion of borax or Boric acid and sugar is a reliable bait to kill silverfish (relatively non-toxic to non-insects).
The scent of a sal ammoniac solution should drive away silverfish within 24 hours.
To capture silverfish, sprinkle plaster on a wet, white cotton cloth, put it in a corner overnight, near the silverfish's hideout. Or trap in small glass containers -- silverfish cannot climb up the smooth inside walls.
Adults can be killed by freezing, but it is difficult to kill the eggs."
There you go. Wiki has answers for everything. I have about a kilo of Boric acid sitting in my lab, anyone fancy going round seeing how accurate wiki is?
The problem is that while the electorate KNOW that NL are dodgy, NL have devalued politics so much that there is definitely a "better the devil you know" attitude out there preventing people taking to the streets.
New Labour, New Britain.
ps there was a record shop near Centrepoint called Silverfish back in the day, any connection?
'www.macavity.info' is still available.
Fantastic piece Guido, and obviously a BIG high five to Dizzy. It's a bit like those old pictures where we used to have to join up the dots to reveal all.
I love the fact that there's a Silverfish.tv and Bertie Ahern connection as well.
In commercial radio, many centuries ago, there used to be a practice of (coughs) bartering whereby, say certain adverts would take place and the MD somewhat surprisingly & suddenly would find a new car at his home.
It had a special name which I can't recall although I'm sure the Nigerians would.
This is effectively what appears to be happening here.
It brings a whole new meaning to wealth redistribution!
Could Gordo be any more sleazy?!? It just gets ridiculous, please let him come here so I can throw eggs and insults for an afternoon.
It certainly doesn't look good, Guido, but I don't know if you have enough data to state definitively that it's a "corrupt practise" (sic, practise is the verb, the noun is practice).
If I were you I would just state the facts and let your readers draw the conclusions.
Sorry to get all "Michael White" on you...
Bob said
It had a special name which I can't recall although I'm sure the Nigerians would.
It's called 'dash' in Nigeria
A nice play on the old - bish, bash, bosh, give us yer dosh
Tom Paine said...
It certainly doesn't look good, Guido, but I don't know if you have enough data to state definitively that it's a "corrupt practise" (sic, practise is the verb, the noun is practice).
What would be your definition of corrupt then Tom? Something along the lines of TB's sqeaky clean perhaps?
I'm sure we can expect more of the same with the £10,000 communications allowance. £10,000 for a communications website and an electioneering one thrown in for free.
Interesting idea PT, can the "researchers" paid to run the non-political sites run the party one "in their spare time" ????
WikiPedia, the free online Encyclopedia defines in broad terms, as the misuse by government officials of their governmental powers for illegitimate, usually secret, private gain.
If the scam as described exists then its intention, to bypass scrutiny of the electoral Commission, is surely corrupt.
You don't get leeches on trees, dead or otherwise.
With this level of critical scientific analysis by Guido, I think it's only fair to ask who funds him? Could it be a secret synergistic neo-nihilist cabal? Could it?
I think we all know THE TRUTH.
This whole Smith Institute scam has Geoffrey Robinson written all over it. The guy is smart in a second car dealer way. He knows Gordon's secrets. Gordon knows his. Which is why Robinson is not behind bars or at least barred from serving as a director.
Secret synergistic neo-nihilist cabal. Yep. You need them to pay your broadband bills.
The internet archive on silverfish makes interesting reading.
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://209.151.80.230
It would be interesting to browse through some of these clients to see if anybody recognizes a name that links with New Labour.
In 2002 old customers included ...
www.Gamblers-Den.com
www.blackjack-casinogambling.com
www.online-casino-game-gambling-betting.com
www.globalcasinoonline.com
www.gamblersonlinecasino.com
www.luxor-online-casino.com
www.online-gamblingbetting.com
www.sportbettinglive.com
www.1sportsbetting.net
www.Radar-Detector-Corp.com
www.Radar-Detector-Experts.com
www.cable-descrambler-site.com
www.cable-descrambler-solutions.com
www.alternative-cable-boxes.com
See, this is the sort of inaccuracy that Michael White got so sniffy about.
1. "and when he does he will be expected to list cash donations and donations in kind."
Not necessarily - there is a threshold. £9.95 (or whatever) for a domain registration is probably well below it.
2. They also did the "Dave the Chameleon" video for Labour, for free.
No. They didn't This is libel, and if a newspaper ran it, they would have to run a correction, or pay out. Actually, one guy (Mark Lucas) from Silverfish came up with the idea, privately, and then it was programmed by somebody else from the Picture Production Company. This might seem terribly convenient, and a minor difference from what you wrote but it is what happened. Silverfish could sue you for damage to their reputation for suggesting otheriwse. Although they probably won't, obviously.
This is why your blog looks so exciting compared to dead tree press because they have to tell the truth or go to court
No wonder Gordo looks so smug and cocky in the attached picture.'I'm so f*****g sharp, I could cut meself!'
Guido.
Very interesting reading the Nigerian Sun. Did you take a look at their guest book entries?
Isn't it splendid to watch the whole corrupt bunch tumble into catastrophe. The joy of it all is that they don't see that they are now merely figures of fun.
The old Vaudevillian's "..events, dear boy" is bringing the Blair era to a splendid finale.
Keep up the good work, Guido!
The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906, says:
"If any person corruptly gives or agrees to give or offers any gift or consideration to any agent as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do, or for having after the passing of this Act done or forborne to do, any act in relation to his business, or for showing or forbearing to show favour or disfavour to any person in relation to his principal's affairs or business.. he shall be guilty of a misdemenor."
"Could it be a secret synergistic neo-nihilist cabal? Could it? "
I'm sure it's those anarcho-syndicalists up to their old tricks again.
Treebor 1:54 'Actually, one guy (Mark Lucas) from Silverfish came up with the idea, privately, and then it was programmed by somebody else from the Picture Production Company.'
Oh come one. I work in the industry. A creative director does not come up with an idea 'privately' and then get someone outside of the company to 'program' it. This is as Guido has described - 'favours' being done in return for billable work. The 'somebody else from the Picture Production Company' was almost certainly doing the same for Mark L as he was doing for his client.
Treebor,
1. Silverfish themselves contradict you. They claim, implausibly, that they intended to sell the site(s) to Gordon Brown's campaign for a tidy profit. They said that because the cost of the many sites would be above the declarable threshold.
2. Mark Lucas is the the Creative Director of Silverfish and he (along with David Willing) claimed the credit for the production. Are you calling him a liar?
Good try, makes a change from the "no story here" routine.
Anonymong Brownite shill @ 1:54pm:
"No. They didn't This is libel, and if a newspaper ran it, they would have to run a correction, or pay out. Silverfish could sue you for damage to their reputation for suggesting otheriwse."
Really? Let's see what Silverfish say:
http://209.151.80.230/silverfish.tv/news.html
"Heard the one about the animated chameleon? Yep…We’ve created and produced the much talked about “Dave the Chameleon” campaign for Labour. Read about it here "
Wazzat? "We've created and produced" it. Hmm, seems like the only one libelling people is you, libelling Guido.
And 1, those domains cost £20 for 2 years, and there's AT LEAST six, so it's hardly £10 is it.
And £20 per domain is just what it's costing them. If Gordon Brown went to Silverfish and asked for some websites to be made in his name, they aren't going to sell them on at cost, are they, of course their staff's time, analysis of which domains to buy, media skills, etc. costs money.
If you think you could get a media company to do that for £10, you must be stupid. I don't think you do think that though, clearly you're a shill pretending not to see anything odd in a commercial company doing work for Brown while simultaneously being paid by the company.
Treebor
As one in the know, are you able to cast some light on the relationship betweeen;
Smith Institute
No 11 Downing Street/Brown
New Statesman/ G Robinson
Some of us believe the relationships to be corrupt/criminal. Robinson is a white collar con artist. He can sue me if he likes.
If you are not up to the job, perhaps Bow and Agree can help.
Surely someone who writes: -
"Could it be a secret synergistic neo-nihilist cabal? Could it?" has to have worked for the old GLC under Mosky Livingstone!
What a disgrace to normal discussion! 'New' 'long' words all joined up to make the writer feel important; just while all the money paid into his/her/its wages account comes from idiots who think it matters.
Bless!
"you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours"
Should that be "You scratch my back, I'll pick my nose."
Having experience of how bungs are handled in both countries, I feel you are being unfair to nulab comparing them to Nigeria. Its actually more akin to the usual Indian public sector modus operandi. The Oil & Natural Gas Comission have funded the Congress Party for years with scams like that.
Don't you just like the smell of peculation in the morning, noon, afternoon, early evening, evening and night.
It's so much nicer when you're using someone else's fuel as well.
Par for the course of this selfish shower of self-serving, self-seeking, mendacious bastards.
Time that Gordo was impeached for this bit of highway robbery.
of course it's a story and a very good one - it's just not as clear cut as you'd like it to be. Likewise the Sith. It may all dirty as hell, but unless the technicalities are hammered out, nobody real can publish it. That is all.
Treebor.
I have noticed that Mr Fawkes wears funny shades but I can assure you that he is "real".
Treebor
That really takes the biscuit. "Not as clear cut as you'd like it to be."
Anonymous @ 2.15pm put it pretty clearly.
You can backpedal all you like, sir, but you are a liar and a shill.
Treebor
Perhaps you are correct in the legal sense but then this blog is not actually a court of law. The law does not always deliver justice. I have sailed and flown and been around this world of ours. Sith/11 D/Robinson are engaged in a corrupt if not illeagal relationship. I do not have to be Mr Justice Cocklecarrot to deliver my verdict. Res ipsa loquitur in my court. I repeat Robinson is a dodgy dealer. Brown has taken tainted funds. Not the first but what galls is his sanctimonious 'son of the manse' 'moral compass' posture. He is a whited sepulchre.
umm, Guido, where did you read that "Dave the Chameleon" was done for free? I can't find anything on google.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, thrusts Gordon an inch.
He's been picking our pockets for 10 years, the other week he proved he's addicted to our money.
His mates can fund his campaign as much as they like, all they are doing is buying Cameron the keys to No.10
Apparently, when Rector of Edinburgh University, Mr Brown edited a booklet for students on how to work the system to freeload off the state or, for that matter, any one else - in other words it was a book of tips from "experienced parasites". (See Daily Telegraph 9 April 2007). It seems to me he hasn`t changed - except, of course, for the scale of his sponging on the state.
Date
FROM: Mr. Ben Ahore
Central Bank of Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria
TO: Guido Forks
Dear Sir:
I have been requested by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company to contact you for assistance in resolving a matter. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company has recently concluded a large number of contracts for oil exploration in the sub-Sahara region. The contracts have immediately produced moneys equalling US$40,000,000. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company is desirous of oil exploration in other parts of the world, however, because of certain regulations of the Nigerian Government, it is unable to move these funds to another region.
You assistance is requested as a non-Nigerian citizen to assist the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, and also the Central Bank of Nigeria, in moving these funds out of Nigeria. If the funds can be transferred to your name, in your United Kingdom account, then you can forward the funds as directed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company. In exchange for your accomodating services, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company would agree to allow you to retain 10%, or US$4 million of this amount.
However, to be a legitimate transferee of these moneys according to Nigerian law, you must presently be a depositor of at least US$100,000 in a Nigerian bank which is regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
If it will be possible for you to assist us, we would be most grateful. We suggest that you meet with us in person in Lagos, and that during your visit I introduce you to the representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, as well as with certain officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Please call me at your earliest convenience. Time is of the essence in this matter; very quickly the Nigerian Government will realize that the Central Bank is maintaining this amount on deposit, and attempt to levy certain depository taxes on it.
Yours truly, etc.
Ben Ahore
"Silverfish belongs to a very primitive group of soft wingless insects, evolving on earth even before the cockroach."
Now there's a pedigree for you...
http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_silverfish.shtml
Anon 4.03
"Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, thrusts Gordon an inch."
So how much does he take???
Are you going to buy
davidmilbrand4leader.etc?
The more gay gordo is exposed the worse he looks.everytime he opens his gob he puts snot or his foot in it.Cameron must laugh himself silly over this.
Brilliant, this is corrupt and fraudulent. I specialise in company director law/liability and if a plc enterprise co dir took money or was lavished free gifts and then steered company contracts in the direction of the lavisher he would be up before the beak before he even had a chane to book hid flights to Rio. So why not these tossers? I'm so angry I could throw the phone down, if I was on it. I will instead disconnect my broadband service for a minute's silence in protest.
>Treebor
If it looks like a bung and smells like a bung and sounds like a bung, it IS a bung.
Except under New lAbour it is an "enlightened way to redistribute wealth"
(from the poor to the rich of course)
So any entity that does work for the governing party (or any of its members) should automatically be excluded from all government contracts - I wonder if this rule should apply to all Conservative Party donors past and present including those who get contracts from Conservative controlled local authorities. I am sure all the present Tory donors would be very willing to give up all Govt contracts should Cameron get elected!
There are established Civil Service procedures for the awarding of contracts - you don't appear to have produced a shred of evidence to indicate that these haven't been followed. Yet you make the accusation of corruption from your Nevis hideaway. If you want to make such accusations produce some evidence and do so without protection from libel - and then you might be worthy of some respect.
By the way Silverfish's work with 10 Downing Street was in producing a video for World Aids Day - which may possibly be something they did without making a profit and because they wanted to support a deserving cause - rather than lining their own pockets as you infer (although I appreciate that you would find it impossible to understand such a motivation). Needless to say it doesn't look like you tried to check any of your facts.
It's prats like you which will destroy free speech in the blogosphere.
Tory boys never grow up. You aren't that law lecturer Byers are. Typical NuLab legalese to hide the bleeding obvious. Brown benefits from tainted funds. Robinson screwed Joska, set up her Orion trust,gave her preferential arrangements for her Jaguar dealership, broke exchange control regulations and used these funds to finance Brown. What is there about corrupt practice that you do not understand. Sith is rotten top the core. You are obviously in the pay of your political masters. Another snout in the trough. Leech.
toryboys - first, the tories are the opposition and not able to disburse taxpayers money to their mates.
second, yes, this all should be transparent, like in Italy and not via some poxy mutual backscratch. I know the eyetie economy seems hilarious to the outsider but it is far, far more transparent re the awarding of public contracts. All public works have a huge noticeboard out front with the contract winners and the ***euro value*** of the contract written in black and white. Civil servants here are personally - their money/houses on the line - responsible for their errors, omissions and general naughtiness. Concentrates the mind, I can assure you. Would see off gay gordon and his taxpayer-bread fed contractor ducks.
Bring it on for England pal.
Tory boys never etc.
you are a sanctimonious fuckwit - the "end justifies the means" line has been used continuously by New Labour but where does it all end?
As for the established Civil Service procedures for awarding contracts - don't make me laugh! There are all sorts of ways these are bypassed and many are limited tenders with only 3 or 4 companies being invited to pitch. In the realms of "creative work" it is the pitch the minister (or Spad) likes that is likely to get chosen rather than the cheapest option and who can say what influenced the minister's opinion?
Anonymous 9.43pm
As well as resorting to petty abuse you and Guido are the ones using the end (your view that New Labour are corrupt) to justify the means (accusations of corruption without any support) - where is your evidence that Civil Service procedures for awarding these contracts were abused in the manner you suggest. Put up or shut up - and do so in public so you can be sued if you're wrong.
It would be just as easy to say that because local Conservative associations report about the half the level of donations to the Electoral Commission that local Labour Parties do (fact) in spite of their accounts reporting much higher levels of income (fact) this means that local conservative associations are not reporting donations because xxxx - we can all guess what xxx is - but without any evidence it is not right to accuse them of corruption.
Savanarola - you may want to make wild accusations without evidence, and I'm not a law lecturer and have worked in the private sector for many years.
tory boys never grow up said...
Anonymous 9.43pm
Oh for Fucks sake, Astroturfer
Just crawl in your hole
the whole fecking country is sick of you and your kind
Don't defend the indefensible
now just please go away
tory boys never grow up said...
It would be just as easy to say that because local Conservative associations report about the half the level of donations to the Electoral Commission that local Labour Parties do (fact) in spite of their accounts reporting much higher levels of income (fact) this means that local conservative associations are not reporting donations because xxxx - we can all guess what xxx is - but without any evidence it is not right to accuse them of corruption.
Maybe, just maybe, their tea and cake stalls make more money, they take more cash over the bar, might it be that they run it more like a business or they have investments and do not rely on donations for their income ?
Whereas the Labour chaps as is their want, expect handouts, sorry donations, and do not bother their arses to try and make money ? so therefore apparently having double the handouts with less income.
That could almost be an analogy for the entire political system :)
Later
Gengee
I Think that the Torys should have a free vidio reply to Dave The Chameleon to end this dispute,They should produce a vidio with a bird called, Gordon The Shit Hawk.
tory boys never grow up
Great blog you have there mate. Particularly like the profile.
Typical NuLab. Faceles and full of nothing.
Tory Boys Never Grow Up
I withdraw my speculation that you are Byers or a law lecturer.
I do not withdraw my allegation that:
Robinson shagged Joska
Robinson looked after Joska's Jaguar dealership very nicely
Robinson broke exchange control regulatiuons
Robinson set up Orion Trust an offshore arrangement
Robinson funded Brown in opposition and in Govt
Robinson's funds are tainted
When Robinson sues Tom Bower I may be prepared to withdraw above. In meantime suggest you read his book and also all public items re Trans Tec. Robinson is a dodgy dealer protected by Brown.
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