23 July 2020

Diary of a Corbynista

It’s not about Russia

by Don Urquhart

16 July

People have complained that this diary is miserable.  Well is it any wonder?  Through some crafty shenanigans Julian Lewis was installed as Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee.  So what?  Well the assumption of the media is that Number Ten had put Chris Grayling up because he could be relied on to delay publication of the Russia Report.  At every turn there is evidence that this government cannot be trusted.

17 July

Lucky Uyghurs!  They are now flavour of the month having been ignored while we were cosying up to a government that has been oppressing them for years.  Come a trade deal with China the Uyghurs will return to the odd inside page.

18 July

Johnson did the Press Briefing with only the simpering Dido Harding alongside.  The scientists are no longer necessary.  He told some people what they want to hear – it is OK to go back to your offices, travel on public transport, flood the beaches home and away.  Are they are sending us out to die for the greater good of business recovery?  If you go along with that, and many will, get out there but stay away from me and mine.

19 July

The Russia Report might be published next week so some intellectual giant in Number Ten decided to blame it on Corbyn.  ITV News was instructed to doorstep the former Labour Party leader and ask him how he obtained the minutes of trade talks with the USA where we were discussing the NHS.  Had he done a deal with Russian hackers?  This was totally bogus as the documents had been around Fleet Street for some months when Corbyn started talking about them.

20 July

Our next door neighbour was off to Scotland for a bit so asked us to take in her newspapers.  Thus it was that we ended up perusing The Guardian over morning coffee.  It was less a newspaper than a begging letter from a bunch of well-heeled journalists afraid of losing their jobs if the paper went under.  Apparently it is the last bastion of the left wing press. I did not spot it supporting Labour in the 2019 General Election or responding in any way to pleas for help from the Morning Star, a genuine left wing paper which has been clinging on to existence for years.

The Guardian is owned by the Scott Trust Endowment Fund which is valued at over £1 billion.

The Morning Star is a reader-owned cooperative.

21 July

The Opposition tried to amend the Trade Bill to protect the NHS from exploitation by US corporations.  It was voted down by the Tories.

John Ashworth squirmed as the Health Secretary commended him for standing shoulder to shoulder with him over the anti-vaccination campaign.

Shoulder to shoulder with Hancock is not a good look John; don’t care what the issue is.

22 July

Journalist Anne Applebaum was interviewed on Newsnight about the Russia Report.  What about the money laundering?

Well, God didn’t create the tax havens.

Amid all the bluster about national security in the face of Russki perfidy, Ms Applebaum’s comment encapsulated the insight that this is not about defending the realm against foreign powers – China got a mention.

It is all about the rich of any nationality preserving and enhancing their assets.  Mr Putin and his friends have shared interests with Mr Johnson and his friends.  Hence the Russian donations to Conservative Party funds.