Watching my ITN colleague Tom Bradby tonight, he said Baroness Jay is proving elusive.

Fortunately I did manage to catch her at home this morning (presumably before she started filtering calls!)

Essentially she backed Hilary Benn's version of events. She told me how David Abrahams approached her at a party do, and said he wanted to make a donation to Benn "discreetly".

Thinking he might be wanting to donate to more than one candidate, she alerted Hilary Benn to the proposed arrangement. He, as we know, was not keen on it.

I asked her the key question of whether she knew Abrahams was making similar donations to the Labour party - she said she "didn't know."

It occurs to me that if Abrahams felt able to sidle up to Baroness Jay and openly propose his trademark discreet arrangement, might he not have suggested it to other party bigwigs...? Or was poor old Peter Watt really the only other Labour figure to have been privy to such a suggestion...?

Comments

[carol-ann liverpool 5 Dec 2007 03:09:21]

Morning Post

Sorry, I overlooked this one.

My opinion on the BBC politico Andrew Marr?

The only thing I have really watched with Andrew Marr in,are his performances on Children in Need which are very funny IMHO!
I think he has a great sense of humour and seems quite a nice chap, but, I do not feel qualified to comment on any of his political stuff because I do not watch any of his programmes.
I therefore missed (Arrgghhh) his interview with GB which ticked off the journos who didn't get a look in and started the Journalistic equivalent of WW3
I had no idea thatsome of the toughest people on the planet had such fragile egos!

I believe the journos are wearing a T-Shirt under their shirts with:

'YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE PRESS

on the front ....and

POLITICIANS QUEUE HERE.. on the back!

So there ya go - another assumption about Labour supporters bites the dust!

I have heard some gossipy chat about how like Sky the BBC news is becoming - and I did watch one breakfast news show last week and what surprised me is that they really tore into the Labour MP..who was on.. by that one show alone, I got the feeling that things have changed drastically since
Greg Dyke resigned -

Wonder what happened to him?

[The Morning Post 29 Nov 2007 11:27:47]

Carol Ann

And your observations on the left wing bias of the BBC is what exactly?

[Effie 28 Nov 2007 15:12:34]

carol-ann liverpool 28 Nov 2007 14:58:10

Carol-Ann what else can you expect. The Press and Media are the only opposition that this Country has had since 1997, we still do not have effective opposition. They have got used to it so much so that some are actually abusing their power.
What we do have though is a screaming Banshee of a leader of the opposition who can only rely on soundbites and his Liberal counter-part who does drop not only some good one liners that even Hague would be proud of, he is also know to have dropped a good many clangers.
However between the pair of them both Cameron and Cable do not make a good one, a right pair of clowns and no mistake.

[carol-ann liverpool 28 Nov 2007 14:58:10]

Morning Post,

Perhaps I have not explained it clearly enough.

It is one thing to have a knockabout on here, but I expect a bit more professionalism from journalists.

If they have evidence for their claims - no problem

ASSUMPTIONS with NO FACTS = problem.

There has been some reporting on here, where journalists have made assumptions, with evidence already out in the public domain, that has shown that assumption not to stand up.
If they then find other information that supports their contention, I don't have a problem with that.

Good journalism = make a point, support with evidence that has been checked out,
then report what you think the arguments against it may be.
Let the people decide.

I respect George Jones and Michael White because they do the above - I accept that journalists are members of the public and may support a particular party- but I feel it is incumbent upon them to be particularly scrupulous if the party you support is accusing the opposition party of wrongdoing or crime.

The press being the fourth estate, I believe, should have higher standards than anyone else because they are so powerful.
There are many people who would suggest that it is the press that is runnng the country not the government,
if journalists - well, particularly those who work for such an important organisation as SKY, are not absolutely spot on - they leave themselves open to all kinds of accusations.

I don't think that anyone regularly watching SKY can fail to see that SKY has undergone a sea-change recently.
Some good, some not so good.

I would like to be sure that a news organisation that I have always supported, have praised as being one of the best with such a fine political editor as Adam Boulton, is maintaining high standards.
Youthful enthusiasm and inexperience can explain some things, but not all.

[The Morning Post 28 Nov 2007 14:03:59]

Carol Ann

George Jones and Michael only reported the facts according to you and yet you still managed to disagree with them! Now there's New Lab logic for you! I'm going to lie down in a darkened room.

[carol-ann liverpool 28 Nov 2007 13:35:21]

G Adlam

Look, the reality is, boring I know, is that ALL of us do not talk to everyone we know all the time and in great depth.... I think in the very fevered and demanding job of politics, it is not surprising that some dots do not get joined up.
If there is evidence of wrong-doing I will absolutely not condone that in any way - I am just trying to restore to some balance, mainly because some journalists have not been doing that job properly.

It is the duty of a political commentator to report the FACTS and for the public to draw their own conclusions - the problem with some of Joey's reports is that it is HE who is drawing the conclusions!
Maybe I am being a bit picky, having been used to the like of George Jones and Michael White's journalism. I don't always agree with what they say, but I have absolute trust in their integrity and their fair and balanced reporting which are supported with facts.

[G Adlam, Brighton 28 Nov 2007 10:59:46]

Carol-ann,liverpool

Thanks for the explanation re Watts resignation elsewhere.

In neither post do address the issue how did Baroness Jay know Janet Kidd donated on dehalf of Abrahams? To Joey she has said he wanted to make a donation to Benn "discreetly". Fine but she was able to apparently identify Janet Kidd by name. This suggests she was aware of the proposed mechanism for the discreet donation. And that mechanism is illegal.
Explain /justify. Btw if you going to make aspersions to Joey's reputation, perhaps a more apt phrase would be "sinking faster than Labour's reputation".

[Fluffy, London, England 28 Nov 2007 10:00:55]

Hilary Benn to replace Rusty as leader of the Labour Party...? Cannot see anyone else with even a hint of competence.

Oh well, back to watching "Seconds From Disaster"....

[Peter Chuah, Birmingham 28 Nov 2007 08:42:55]

Baroness Jay knew that David Abrahams wanted to make a donation to Hilary Benn’s Deputy Leader’s campaign “discreetly” and that he was likely to donate towards more than one candidate. This should sound alarm bells that Mr. Abrahams wished to be known discreetly as an important donor amongst prominent members of the Labour government for certain ulterior motives.

The person receiving the donations for Harriet Harman was also likely to know what Baroness knew, so Harriet Harman should also likely to know like Hilary Benn. Therefore Mr. Harman (Labour Party treasurer) was also likely to know, hence Gordon Brown. As recent events shows, Gordon Brown's government is acting on crisis management mode, only responding when they are about to be exposed by the media!

[Philip, Bristol 28 Nov 2007 07:43:25]

Any comments on how much this has the potential to make the government fall?

I know they have a heck of a majority but this continual sleaze and deception is surely not substainable for another two years.

If they get to the point the Tories did last time (or worse) they will be out for a generation.

[The Morning Post 28 Nov 2007 06:55:19]

Joey

I would go one step further in saying that it occurs to me that if Abrahams felt able to sidle up to Baroness Jay and openly propose his trademark deceitful arrangement, then it might have been common knowledge throughout the hierarchy in the Party, having given to the Party itself in this way with the knowlege of its secretary, as well as Harriett Harman, who says she accpted the donation in good faith and attempting to donate to Gordon Brown and Hillary Benn in the same way! Many more people were in the know than have admitted it but the truth willout very soon!

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 28 Nov 2007 05:16:52]

Having just read the popular quotes on the Sky website,in the words of Lord Acton "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" how true and probably applies to the current Labour government.

[Laurance Allen, Bodrum Turkey 27 Nov 2007 23:28:59]

The fact he could even get free uninterrupted access to Baroness Jay and Blair and others should ring alarm bells. Jack Straws slip of the tongue last night when he called him "Dave" made my ears prick up. What concerns me is, that if Brown rejected donations from Janet Kidd in the run up to his leadership and then whalloping big donations come in July, how could he not know what was going on, besides, in preparing for an election a leader is bound to ask and know who has supplied so much money to the coffers.

[Allan Struthers, bucks 27 Nov 2007 22:45:14]

Joey, such baseless information, no facts and a reliance on inuendo...doesn't make a good news story, good for gossips in the Westminster Village, not good for revealing the truth or the stench of corruption that pervades funding in all parties including the Cons, SNP and Lib-Dems.

[james marske by the sea 27 Nov 2007 22:35:29]

just thought . how did abrahams get to the "bit of a do" in the first place? or had he already paid for his ticket in advance and what about our "justice minister" apart from the gaff of yesterday he has gone missing perhaps he forming a board of enquirey to find out if they have any body they can make a minister. peter hain might make it big time after all he is well tanned.or fif he get money too

[carol-ann liverpool 27 Nov 2007 20:18:44]

Joey,

Don't beat about the bush, man, spit it out!

You are not making it clear enough that you think that Baroness Jay is lying - wonder if that has something to do with the fact that, once again, this is another non-story.
If you have any proof you need to provide it, otherwise your reputation as a journalist is sinking faster than a brick down a well.

You are 'surprised that Abrahams can sidle-up to the Baroness' and offer money without as you imply, sidling up to anyone else......well come on, show us the proof that offering to give one person money does not necessarily mean that you are going to tell someone else.
Maybe he felt more comfortable asking her, as she is nice and approachable lady..or because he feels he can trust her- there are many explanations for such an action, but you can only see one and that marks you out as an inexperienced, journalist with a narrow mind and puts you on a par with the low-life tabloid scribblers.

I am keeping records of what is and isn't printed.

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 27 Nov 2007 20:01:09]

There seem to be many people at these party do's who are very vague about meeting Mr Abrahams. The PM himself was not exactly clear on whether he had met him or not. If he was throwing that sort of money at them surely they WOULD remember him.

[Khalid 27 Nov 2007 19:11:02]

Joey, not sure about you, but I feel "The Earth Song" coming along, as "Michael Jackson" has just reported that according to Sky News channel 501, donations were attempted to be made to the party without the cnsent of the account holder. Don't know about you, but I need a Christmas spirit!