Smith Under Fire As Greengate Dropped

Trumped up home office leak charges against a top Tory MP have been dropped as a committee of MPs slated civil servants for "exaggerating" the seriousness of alleged leaks, which led to the heavy-handed police raid and arrest of Damian Green. It's goodbye Smeargate, as Greengate leaves a discredited fag-end of a government trying to close another 'gate' after the pre-election dirty tricks horse has bolted.

The Greengate decision comes as a reeling Downing Street struggles to cover up the Smeargate email scandal against the Tories and raises fresh doubts over the involvement of home secretary Jacqui Smith and her band of political police, already under fire for G20 police brutality. 

Now the CPS has said there was "insufficient evidence" to bring a court case against the shadow immigration minister, adding: "The information leaked was not secret information or information affecting national security," something police must have known before the raid and arrest. 

Many at Westminster expected charges against Green to be dropped weeks ago but instead it dragged on for months since anti-terror police made an unwarranted raid on Green's office in the sanctity of parliament. 

Red-faced cops and officials tried to use the excuse of 'national security' for the raid to hide their embarrassment. Now the home affairs committee has questioned whether police would have got involved if they had not been misled.

The MPs said there was a "clear mismatch" between the "misleading" and "hyperbolic" contents of a senior cabinet office official's letter citing national security as a reason for the raid and the description of the leaks provided by the home office's civil service chief.

The decision to drop charges against Green comes days after the appointment of Yates of the Yard, commissioner John Yates, to head up the Greengate police inquiry after Smith's favourite copper, bungling Bob Quick, was forced to make a quick exit when he exposed anti-terror plans to  the media. 

Green's controversial arrest last November came after Quick sent 20 anti-terrorist officers to search his parliamentary office, causing outrage at the time by both LibDems and Tories: 

Both Green and Christopher Galley, a junior civil servant working at the home office, always denied wrongdoing. Both have had charges against them dropped due to "insufficient evidence". Green says he was releasing information in the public interest.

Key questions remain over why police were involved in this case when it was clear that could have been handled as an internal matter. 

But the Tory MP paid the price of public interest after the heavy-handed tactics of the political police were exposed with his arrest. Yet he was bailed, not under anti-terrorist laws but under common law.

The shameful arrest of Green made a mockery of the pseudo-liberal facade of the New Labour government. Once again it exposed the hidden workings of powerful institutions of political and social control. 

Home secretary Smith and the rest of the gang involved in this disgraceful episode now face fundamental questions at the heart of this scandal, not least why were the heavy mob used for the arrest when clearly this did not involve any state secrets? And who authorised the police search in the sacrosanct precincts of the Place of Westminster?

Downing Street had claimed this was a matter for the police and the prime minister had no prior knowledge of the arrest but the Orange Party smelt a big political rat at work here and some scary heavy-handed Big Brother tactics. A police investigation into a high-ranking politician would have to have been cleared at the very top. 

Speaking after the CPS decision a relieved Green pointed the finger of responsibility at the home secretary: “I believe in the old Italian phrase that the fish rots from the head down.” Smith was “a poor home secretary” who had "shown poor judgement."

The decision to drop all charges over the Greengate affair is a further nail in the coffin for disposable home secretary Jacqui Smith, as the two homes secretary is already under fire over her second homes expenses fiddle. It is difficult to see how she, or speaker Michael Martin can survive. 

Goodbye Smeargate, hello Greengate. The government is spinning out of control as another concerted attempt by Brown's bunch of spinners and henchmen to stoop to dirty tricks in Tory attacks has been exposed in the run up to the general election. 

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Blatant BBC Bowen Bias Blasted

Blatant anti-Israel bias of BBC's middle east editor, Jeremy Bowen, has been blasted in a report by the corporation which has blown away any claims of accuracy and impartiality over its Gaza conflict reporting.  

The BBC Trust has ruled coverage of Israel in an article on the BBC's web site and a radio broadcast by Bowen was partially inaccurate and that aspects of the internet article lacked impartiality. 

In reporting about Israel, the BBC's internal complaints panel found Bowen has breached the corporation's guideline on accuracy and impartiality.

Confirming what many already knew, the Zionist Federation said that the findings show the BBC has an anti-Israel "bias" and that the position of Bowen, is "untenable". Claims rejected by the corporation. 

The Trust was responding to complaints filed separately by a London-based barrister and by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA).

Taking up the claim, journalist and author Chas Newkey-Burden, said: "It is extraordinary to think that the BBC entrusts a man such as Bowen with coverage of such a monumentally important issue. As we saw during Operation Cast Lead, anti-Israel distortion contributes to the atmosphere of hate that leads to violence against Jews on the streets of Britain."

Time and time again the BBC distorted and twisted its coverage of the Middle East and Gaza conflict, hghlighted by the Orange Party and others at the time fed up with a pseudo-liberal bias which verged on the anti-Semitic. 

But the BBC continued its bombardment of the UK media with Iran-backed Hamas propaganda, as Israel tried to strike back in vain to explain their side of the conflict.

The Orange Party became heartily sick of the blatant pro-Hamas bias from the BBC, most notably the highly skewed reports from middle east editor Bowen and his band of Iran-backed Hamas apologist thugs disguised as "journalists".

The Zionist Federation of the UK said that Bowen's position as Middle East editor of a public service broadcaster "is untenable in the light of the ESC's findings."

The report vindicates what many thought at the time of Bowen's reports. Viewers and listeners had to put up with his relentless attacks on Israel, delivered with an almost religious fanatical zeal, hardly able to contain his hatred and contempt coupled with fawning yawning support for the Palestinian cause.

Not quite the style one would expect from an objective BBC reporter.

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End Of An Affair? Draper's Desk On eBay

The future of the former New Labour spin doctor turned blogger at the centre of the Smeargate scandal is in doubt, with calls for him to quit the Party. Now his desk has appeared on eBay, in an ominous sign of the end of a sordid affair.

Former spinner, Derek Draper, embroiled in the e-mail smear row is reported to beconsidering quitting because of the fallout from the 'dirty tricks' scandal, amid calls for him to end his links with the Labour Party.

Draper famously emailed the now defunct Brown aide 'McPoison' McBride, to say unfounded sex smear claims about Tory leader David Cameron, George Osborne and Tory MP Nadine Dorries were 'absolutely totally brilliant'.

The leaked emails, caused a public outrage over 'dirty tricks', throwing the spotlight on how the Downing Street propaganda war room operates under the Supreme Leader as plans for a scurrilous New Labour attack dog webite, Red Rag, were exposed.

The sad description accompanying Draper's Desk (above) for the eBay sale is fitting testimony to his demise:

"Due to a current clear out of old useless junk that nobody wants, we have a slightly soiled almost unused desk for sale. Only a couple of months old

On the plus side, we have managed to clean most of the shit off ( it was hit by a fan last weekend. And some Nokia mobile phones) but it does have some bad points:

1. It appears to be cursed. Every time Derek actually sat at it, he just produced utter nonsense. Reams of it. Lies, spin, deceipt and a couple of books so appalling Amazon staff use them as toilet paper

2. Some tooth marks are visible, and some dandruff flakes. Also totally and completely "Stained"

Winning bidder will need to collect as no one here wants to go anywhere near it."

At the time of writing there have been no bidders.

Tories have called for a probe into the part played by cabinet office cyber minister Tom Watson over plans for the Red Rag site, which was due to carry the salacious claims in the run up to the general election. Watson has denied any involvement.

Over four days of a Downing Street nightmare, the "nest of vipers" at the heart of a corrupt government was exposed and laid bare as Smeargate slowly unravelled and the Tory sex smear email scandal rocked the rotten government to its core.

Draper was a bit player in the viper's nest of Brown's "reservoir dogs" in the relentless round of sleaze, spin and corruption which has left the rotten government spinning out of control, decent rank and file Labour Party supporters "staring into the abyss" and the rest of the country wondering when it will all end.

Few in the Labour Party will mourn the demise of either Draper - or his desk.

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Where Were We Before Smeargate Saturday?

Smeargate seems to have run its course for now as Downing Street tries to nail down the lid of sleaze, spin and corruption, trying desperately to change the agenda and move on. But Smeargate is not the only nasty haunting Brown and the spinners as they slither down the slippery slope and dig themselves into a deeper hole. 

Smeargate exposed the rotten heart of a government spinning out of control as Number Ten battled against the odds to keep a lid on their four day nightmare. Today there's some banging on about McPoison and a defence of the SpAds - just part of the spin to deflect and close it down. 

The sordid saga has run its course because no hard evidence has emerged linking to government cyber minister Tom Watson and hence to Brown. The Orange Party along with the Sun, Tory Francis Maude and some others got in quick yesterday, before Watson's lawyers moved in, repeating his denial of involvement.  

But the Times has managed to nudge it on a bit today with reports the planned scurrilous New Labour 'Red Rag' was registered to the House of Commons. 

Now civil service chief, Sir Gus O'Donnell, co-author of a book with Brown boy Balls, has apparently refused calls by Tories for a smear inquiry into whether Watson was involved in a dirty tricks operation that cost the job of Brown's henchman, McBride. No surprises there then. 

Many were caught on the hop. The Orange Party was thankful not to have set off for a regular Easter holiday to IT starved Cuba, which thankfully bears no resemblance whatsoever to the knocking picture painted by David Aaronovitch in the Times. 

The Orange Party believes this rotten matter should be settled in the commons with a no confidence vote. But for now it seems the public has had enough of Smeargate already, already. Time for a reality check. 

Slowly cabinet ministers were being picked off one by one as the disgrace of commons two homes expenses fiddle was being exposed, with two homes secretary Smith in the front-line. 

The quick departure of Smith favourite copper, bungling Bob Quick, raised a few eye brows, not least the amazing coincidence when an alleged terror plot to blow up Britain was played out in the full glare of the media spotlight. 

Now it seems most of the alleged plotters will end up with a ticking off and deportation back to their Pakistan tribal homelands. 

That raises questions about just how real the threat was and whether police were trying to cover up embarrassment over Quick's quick departure. 

The outrage of a masked and unidentified TSG police thug over death of G20 bystander Ian Tomlinson pales into insignificance compared with the brutal assault by a second TSG officer caught on camera (right side-bar). 

With no shoulder number, beating the hell out of a defenceless woman with what can only described as an armoured gauntlet, there's no word on this outrageous thuggery from two homes secretary Smith. A high price to pay for deluded Brown's G20 glory moment.

And then there's the budget, put back until next week so Brown could bask in the glory of his G20 save the world summit sham. A greenwash budget for green people. Brown's army of little green people creating a New World Order - not now when it's needed but in years to come.

The B-day message is still being worked on. The 'green' budget may turn into an austerity budget. Only time will tell. The cupboard is bare. Bankrupt Britain up to its eyes in debt. Without a loan from his IMF pals dragging the country deeper in debt, a non-budget is the likely outcome. 

Smeargate had its moments of car-crash TV. But at the end of the day it was just the final nail in the coffin of a fag-end of a rotten government spinning out of control. 

Thank goodness for journalists not part of the New Labour media elite like Peter Oborne, Martin Bright and  Fraser Nelson - and a guy called Guido.  

No doubt there'll be plenty more instalments from 'Gordon's reservoir dogs' in the relentless round of sleaze, spin and corruption in the weeks to come, leaving decent rank and file Labour Party supporters "staring into the abyss" and the rest of the country wondering when it will all end.

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Walkabout Watson Key To Brown's Downfall?

A feverish spinning battle to put a lid on Smeargate is showing signs of paying off. But at the rotten heart lies the antics of key cyberminister, Tom Watson, strangely silent over the whole sordid affair. 

As a disreputable bunch of cronies rally round a beleaguered Brown, still refusing to say sorry, his spinning pack of cards could still come crashing down around his ears. 

A week is a long time in politics - four days a nightmare. The "nest of vipers" at the heart of a corrupt government was exposed and laid bare as Smeargate slowly unravelled and the Tory sex smear email scandal rocked the rotten government to its core.

The sordid scandal is showing signs of running its course for now but not before a bunch of second-rate spinners and special advisers have been forced to crawl out of the woodwork and into the full glare of the media, ruining their Easter holidays. Shame.

But Brown's pathetic non-apology for McPoison's muckraking has done nothing to satisfy Tories blood lust and left many rank and file Labour supporters, "staring into the abyss" according to back-bench Labour MP Frank Field. 

Time for a reality check. There were always three people in Smeargate's murky marriage. It was always about the tight cabal run out of the Downing Street propaganda war room. Brown and his two henchmen, the now defunct McPoison and cabinet office cyberspace minister, Tom Watson. 

Dirty tricks were bound to come out sooner or later but the Orange Party believes it dragged on for so long because of a bunch of sad, second-rate spinners playing at being the big boys. A bunch of amateurs, copying the tough-talking, bully-boy Blair years of Alastair Campbell - but without the charm. But like Campbell, enjoying the full confidence of their permanently plotting Supreme Leader.

For probably the only time, the Orange Party earlier had to sort of agree with Campbell - why the hell didn't they just get it all out into the open in one fell swoop? A press conference, with staged Cherie-gate crocodile tears, the full monty. Say sorry. Put a lid on it. Move on. 

But the brutal fact is that they couldn't. Lurking in the background has been a burning question - where's Watson, what's he been up to? 

After all, this cyber spinning MP, cabinet office minister and ruthless Brown enforcer famously delivered a Postman Pat video to Brown's son while plotting to knife Blair in the back. 

Shadow cabinet office minister, Francis Maude, is demanding answers from the country's top civil servant. Number seven on the long list is the most revealing: 

7. In the case of Mr Tom Watson, who is both Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for Digital Engagement, did he have any knowledge of or involvement in the Red Rag website? Are you satisfied that he has complied fully with the Ministerial Code, given that he was referred to in one of the e-mails published yesterday? What action have you taken to assure yourself that this is the case?

The Sun today urged Brown to sack the "poisonous" Watson, who "is a stain on the Prime Minister’s judgement and his government’s credibility."

But, apart from his early denial of involvement, Watson seems to have gone walkabout. 

As the Orange Party pointed out on Saturday, when the Daily Telegraph plunged in feet first with a Downing Street backed pre-emptive spoiler, SpAds and spinners are one thing, a government minister, quite another.

Thanks to Paul Staines aka Guido, we now know the PM was dining with Derek Draper at Chequers only a couple of weeks after McPoison and Draper had started plotting their scurrilous Red Rag website. So just who else was having a freebie lunch and the ear of Brown? 


The Sun doesn't mince words: "Treacherous Tom Watson, — a tub of lard who is known without affection at Westminster as 'Two Dinners' Tommy — is suspected of being in this up to his bloated and bulging neck." 

An apology is the least Brown could have offered Tory leader David Cameron who along with his shadow chancellor and other Tory MPs and their families have been smitten by wilful, disgraceful and totally unfounded sex smears. 

Today Cameron piled the pressure on Brown to explain exactly what he knew, when he knew it and who else was involved, calling for a change in culture, leadership and government. 

As the Sun says: "Two dinners Tom is behind this sick plot." Follow Watson and all roads always lead back to Brown. 

What was Watson's last offering before he disappeared up his own cyberbottom? 

A cute little video wishing everyone a Happy Easter. You can't make it up. 

UPDATE 5.23: Fraser Nelson reports Watson is due to make a "personal statement"

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Downing Street Can't Keep Lid On Smeargate

Downing Street's feeble efforts to keep a lid on 'Smeargate' has blown up in its face, with pressure mounting on the beleaguered prime minister to explain exactly what he knew, when he knew it and who else was involved. 

The Tory sex smear email scandal has rocked the rotten government to its core. 

Despite the best efforts of Saturday's Daily Telegraph pre-emptive spoiler, to allow Downing Street a chance to play down the squalid affair, 'Smeargate' exploded in the Sunday newspapers and on the world stage with US Drudge giving it the prominence it deserves. 

For government ministers their only hope would have been to sit tight and try to ride out the storm over the Easter holidays or get it all out in the open - quickly. Instead the rotting carcass is set to be picked over and over. 

With an amazing lack of political judgement, postie turned Blairite pasty, Alan Johnson, popped up on the BBC Today programme to defend his boss in the latest salvo to spin away from Brown, destroying any credibility he had left among rank and file Labour Party members.

Burying his head in the sand, health secretary Johnson said he was "surprised shocked and disgusted" by the e-mails but Brown should not personally apologise, suggesting the prime minister could not be held responsible for everything that people who surround him get up to.

With some disreputable spinning footwork of his own, Johnson tried to neatly side-step the crucial issue. McPoison was no lowly two-bit player. He was at Brown's side in the spinning Downing Street propaganda war room, a senior and trusted Brown aide and strategist.

Johnson's comments won't help Brown, in fact they move the story on and once again point the finger at the Supreme Leader and his digitised minister, Tom Watson who seems to have gone to ground after a quick burst of denial.

Peter Oborne writing in today's Mail makes the point which chimes with those of the Orange Party, made here yesterday. To say Brown was not involved is laughable: "The prime minister is up to his neck in this squalid affair."

The political fall-out dealt a bitter blow for Brown, after one of his most senior aides, Damian McBride, dubbed McPoison, was fingered by political blogger, Paul Staines, aka Guido, over emails discussing vile and unfounded sex smear stories about top Tory MPs, sent to New Labour blogger, Derek Draper, to be used on a scurrilous New Labour pre-election website, 'Red Rag'.

Former ambassador and legal brain, Craig Murray reckons there is "the clearest of prima facie cases that McBride has committed the criminal offence of misconduct in public office. There appears a strong prima facie case also against Mr Charles Whelan."

Today Guido drives the nail into the coffin: "Derek Draper’s “Red Rag” anonymous smear site was registered on November 4, 2008 according to publicly available records.  Draper had lunch at Chequers with Gordon Brown on Sunday 16, November 200 ... Draper boasted to many people that he was helping Gordon Brown.  Did he not discuss with Brown what he was doing for him?  Was Damian McBride also at the same Chequers lunch?" 

The smear campaign, spun by Number Ten as a "juvenile and inappropriate" prank by two blokes, has back-fired. Anyone who thinks this will end New Labour spin is living in fool's paradise. 

During his time in Downing Street, Brown's attack dog McBride did the job at his master's bidding. Brown may not have been in on the detail but would be aware of the broad outline of the cunning pre-election plan. 

Over at the Sun, Trevor Kavanagh makes the point Brown lives and breathes plotting: "Caught red-handed, the scandal-mongers tried the old trick of pretending it was all juvenile high jinks and never intended for publication. Don’t fall for it. This was a sinister and unscrupulous operation to malign the next government. It was intended to hurt anyone in range, including innocent bystanders."

As pressure on Brown to apologise intensified from both Tories and within Labour ranks, the Orange Party believes a personal apology is the least the Tory leader should expect but Brown should be forced to make that to the house of commons and a vote of confidence would have to follow. 

The lies, smears and deceit go to the heart of a rotten government bent on trying to cling onto power in its dying fag-end days. The stench of corruption fills the air. A commons no confidence vote means ministers and pay-roll MPs would have to stand up and be counted before election day, when voters then will have their chance. 

UPDATE 1.57pm: Even Blair's spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, believes Brown should apologise. This won't go away.

Picture: Trumble, Sun

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No Confidence Vote Could Bring Down Brown

Pressure on Beleaguered Brown is mounting with calls to apologise for 'Smeargate' from both Tories and New Labour ranks. A commons 'no confidence' vote would purge the lies, deceit and spin eating away at the heart of a rotten government.

Furious Cameron is demanding a personal apology from Brown. Members of the decent Labour Party have rounded on the corrupt Downing Street black ops spin machine. Any shred of credibility left in ministers and their band of cronies has been destroyed.

The Tory leader is said to be "absolutely furious" after more details were revealed today of a disgraceful Tory sex smear campaign at the heart of Number Ten which led to one of Brown's closest aides being forced to quit.

A leading back-bench Labour MP today added his voice of disgust at the dirty tricks outrage, placing Brown as Party leader in a precarious position.

A personal apology is the least the Tory leader should expect. But that should be made to the house of commons. A vote of confidence would have to follow.

Cameron is calling on Brown to give a guarantee that such messages will not be sent again. Anyone who thinks this will end New Labour spin is living in fool's paradise.

Blair's spin doctor Campbell is in regular contact with Brown. Whelan, now head of press at the union Unite, is back in the fold and was copied in emails between McPoison and New Labour's Dolly Draper.

With spinmaster Mandleson lurking in the shadows, that can only lead to more dirty tricks and dark ops in the weeks to come. To argue that Brown knew nothing is laughable.

During his time in Downing Street, Brown's attack dog McBride did the job he was expected to do. Brown may not have been in on the detail but certainly he would be aware of the broad outline of the cunning pre-election plan. After all, that is why taxpayer-funded toe-rags like civil servant McBride are hired.

The smear campaign has been spun by Number Ten as a "juvenile and inappropriate" prank by two blokes. A pathetic attempt at damage limitation to play down the seriousness of the spin operation at the heart of the fag-end of a rancid government spinning out of control.

The dirty tricks campaign to smear top Tories, including Cameron, was exposed by top political blogger, Paul Staines, author of the Guido Fawkes blog. But it's not just the Tories who are furious. The rank and file Labour Party has had to suffer the lies and spin of the New Labour brand for over a decade.

Labour backbench MP, John McDonnell, today called on Brown to launch an independent inquiry into who was involved: "Smear tactics like this are not the Labour way ... They drag the Labour Party into the gutter." LibDems too are up in arms.

Deluded Brown stands alone. His cover has been blown. He would do well to remember the unpopular Callaghan government's defeat on 28 March 1979. Then the commons passed a motion of 'no confidence' by one vote — 311-310 — which forced Callaghan to call a general election, ushering in the Thatcher years.

Only last June, Brown escaped the 42 days vote by the skin of his political teeth in a mixture of pork-barrel politics and support of Northern Ireland's DUP when the government scraped through by just nine votes - exactly the number of MPs from Northern Ireland who voted for the draconian measures.

With a united front of Tory, LibDem and back-bench Labour MPs, a 'no confidence' vote would place the Brown's government on a knife edge.

The full blown political row has dealt a bitter blow for Brown, after one of his most senior aides, Damian McBride, dubbed McPoison, was fingered by Staines over emails discussing possible smear stories about Tory MPs, sent to New Labour blogger, Derek Draper to be used on a scurrilous New Labour pre-election website, 'Red Rag'.

Once again, the spinner became the story and McBride was toast. The more they spun, the deeper the hole.

Brown famously forced his way into Number 10 in 2007 declaring an end to the culture of spin that had dogged the Blair years. No-one believed him then as McPoison followed closely behind. No-one believes him now. A slow drip of poison will continue under a horse with a different colour.

All political parties have their attack dogs. All get up to dirty tricks of one sort or another. That's politics. And all do their upmost to shield their boss from any damage.

Now a general election is round the corner. For the first time in the UK, political bloggers will be a powerful and influential force.

Trying to beef up existing New Labour-supporting blogs and launch new ones are part and parcel of that phoney war campaign.

But New Labour ministers and cronies cannot get it into their arrogant skulls just why so many blogs seem to be 'Tory supporting'.

The Orange Party, a relative new kid on the political blogging block, certainly isn't Tory supporting per se, its politics are left-leaning. But like so many voters it is just fed up to the back teeth with a decade of the discredited New Labour brand and the arrogance of lies, spin and deceit.

That raises the issue of confidence among the voters and that should raise the issue of confidence in Brown in the house of commons.

Throw in the toxic scandal of ministers' second homes fiddles and Brown and his fag-end of a government is doomed, however long New Labour tries to cling onto power.

Picture: What did Brown know and when did he know it? McPoison and the Supreme Leader in happier spinning days

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