Evening Standard sitting on report on Tory PPC Shaun Bailey (updated)


by Sunny Hundal    
May 5, 2010 at 4:12 pm

I can confirm today, after several days of digging around, that editors at the London Evening Standard newspaper are sitting on a story on Hammersmith Conservative PPC Shaun Bailey.

I also know the story was written up more than a week ago and involved several days of work by its deputy political editor Paul Waugh.

The story revolves around Shaun Bailey and his charity MyGeneration.

Questions were first raised in the media in a small Times story titled: Rising stars face questions on Tory community work:

Shaun Bailey, candidate in neighbouring Hammersmith, faces scrutiny from the commission after an independent examiner discovered £16,000 worth of unreceipted expenditure in the charity he runs.
…
The independent examiner said that the charity’s accounts showed that £15,952 worth of payments were made from a budget of £201,859 “without any supporting records” .

Mr Bailey told The Times yesterday that the charity had been unprepared to deal with its rapidly growing budget. “We had a little panic, we have the stuff,” he said. “What you are dealing with is a kid from the estate who had a good idea to do this and never had a wider view of accountants and lawyers. We have raised this money, spent it on the kids. We just didn’t know.”

The story was then also reported by Civil Society mag, The Third Sector magazine and the Fulham Chronicle.

Since then more questions have come to light, as noted by Political Scrapbook blog.

And so Paul Waugh at the London Evening Standard started digging into the story.

He later submitted the story – and I will make it clear I have no idea what it said – but it never saw the light of day.

I did contact Paul Waugh and he did not want to comment on the record.

But I was told by sources that no one at CCHQ leaned on the Standard to shelve it.

Several people have pointed out, quite fairly, that the newspaper has become less partisan since Alexander Lebedev bought it.

But I’m still curious as to why a story clearly of public interest has not seen the light.

Update: Paul Waugh responds:

It is frankly ludicrous to suggest there is any conspiracy in this story not appearing. It simply fell off the news list because there were other, bigger stories – not least the second TV debate – to cover in a busy general election campaign. Believe me, if I had found anything ‘explosive’, we would have reported it.


---------------------------
      


About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Filed under
Blog ,Conservative Party ,Media ,Westminster


74 Comments || Add yours below

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Reader comments


1. Jonn

No fan of the Tories in Hammersmith – anyone who can read Johann Hari’s piece in today’s Independent without their blood boiling must be bordering on sociopathy – but Bailey’s excuse does kind of ring true, to be honest.

Not saying there’s nothing there – Waugh clearly thought there was an he’s pretty nippy. But the Times story in itself doesn’t set alarm bells off. You discovered any more that you can’t say for legal reasons?

2. Theo Blackwell

Hardly an advert for Big Society / getting charities to run public services!

3. pagar

Sunny.

On withdrawing the Stroud article on legal advice you write

My understanding is that the Representation of People’s Act 1983, has been brought into the mix. The relevant bit states that:

Section 106 makes it illegal to publish any false statement of fact in relation to the candidate’s personal character or conduct, unless he can show that he had reasonable grounds for believing that statement to be true.

And yet here you link to

the extremely questionable patterns of spending at the charity run by David Cameron’s “urban talisman” and candidate for Hammersmith, Shaun Bailey.

Presumably as ‘the extremely questionable patterns of spending’ relate to ‘the candidate’s personal character or conduct’, we’d better hope there is not an innocent explanation.

4. Sunny H

sorry folks, had to delete some comments due to legal reasons. It’s all going a bit mental around here

5. blanco

Another one for Bailey’s?

6. sally

Just another one of the so called compassionate conservatives that are full of shit. And surprise, surprise the media is covering for them.

Britain is on the verge of electing the most right wing govt since the war. Cameron will make Thatcher look like Ken Livingstone. He is the GW Bush of British politics and the country is sleep walling into Jack boot Britain on the premise that the Conservatives have changed. They have changed alright, they used to be honest about their policies, now they lie through their teeth and pretend to be caring when the are the opposite.

“We lie about our caring nature
We lie about our extreme religion
We lie about tax cuts for the rich
We lie about cuts in spending for the poor.

Oh and even if we don’t win we are going to take power anyway because Paul Darce says we can. “

The New tory, dishonest and smarmy party.

7. RP

Surely Bailey is now a candidate, not a PPC. You can’t be a mere prospective parliamentary candidate once the election has been called, can you?

8. damon

Just another one of the so called compassionate conservatives that are full of shit.

How long have you known about this particular candidate Sally?

This long?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbqR9xvyY-E

9. Tim J

Hurrah! We have another contender for a new name for Liberal Conspiracy. In honour of the stories about Tory coups, press conspiracies, sinister collusion with the futures exchange and the obsession with Dan Hannan/Nadine Dorries/Phillipa Stroud, I suggest:

Frankly Ludicrous

Punchy, and accurate.

10. ukliberty

Tim J @9, seconded.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Derek Bryant

    RT @libcon: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  2. Lolwhites

    Liberal Conspiracy » Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey: http://bit.ly/bNeazJ via @addthis

  3. Richard George

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  4. Suzanne

    RT @antonvowl: Did Evening Standard shelve a report on a Tory candidate? http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  5. Palmer 1984

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  6. Sarah Slade

    RT @BorisWatch: RT @sunny_hundal Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  7. Tim Ireland

    RT @TanktheTories: RT @BorisWatch RT @sunny_hundal Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  8. sinister dexter

    RT @libcon: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/cAPdeY

  9. André Petheram

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  10. Laura Evans

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  11. Wolfie (M W Platts)

    Potentially huge Hammersmith Tory candidate story, not reported http://bit.ly/c45VCh – via @libcon

  12. Les Crompton

    RT @libcon: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/cAPdeY

  13. Andrew Nix

    Hammersmith & Fulham candidate Shaun Bailey under scrutiny: http://bit.ly/c45VCh #ge2010

  14. Justin Robertson

    RT @thereminwar Hammersmith & Fulham candidate Shaun Bailey under scrutiny: http://bit.ly/c45VCh #ge2010

  15. Everything London

    The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  16. socialworkuk

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  17. Rob Charnock

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  18. Andrew Wright

    RT @libcon: Evening Standard sitting on report on Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/cAPdeY

  19. Peter Wicks

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  20. philippahammond

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  21. Matthew Barnaby

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  22. Liberal Conspiracy

    Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  23. Liberal Conspiracy

    Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  24. Derek Bryant

    RT @libcon: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  25. House Of Twits

    RT @libcon Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  26. Justin McKeating

    RT @libcon: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt << Paging Humbert Wolfe.

  27. sunny hundal

    Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  28. GuyAitchison

    Shiiiittt – Shaun Bailey gets embroiled in Clay Davis-style scenario involving unreceipted charity money. ES sits on it http://tiny.cc/8afvd

  29. StopTheRight

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  30. antonvowl

    Did Evening Standard shelve a report on a Tory candidate? http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  31. MrMonkey

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  32. Boris Watch

    RT @sunny_hundal Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  33. Secular Gay

    RT @libcon Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9zulcp #ukelection

  34. RooftopJaxx

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  35. Tim Beadle

    RT @antonvowl: Did Evening Standard shelve a report on a Tory candidate? http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  36. jenweb

    Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt and Bailey uses the "I'm just a kid from the estate" line

  37. Hano

    RT @jenweb: Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt and Bailey uses the "I'm just a kid from the estate" line

  38. Catherine Neilan

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  39. Tim Hardy

    @MikeArthur Speaking of Hammersmith this is interesting too http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  40. Philip Painter

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  41. Matthew McGregor

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  42. Tweets that mention Liberal Conspiracy » Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by antonvowl, Justin McKeating, Tim Beadle, Boris Watch, Liberal Conspiracy and others. Liberal Conspiracy said: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt [...]

  43. Marc Phillipps

    RT @antonvowl: Did Evening Standard shelve a report on a Tory candidate? http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  44. Tank the Tories

    RT @BorisWatch RT @sunny_hundal Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  45. Pod Wangler

    RT @sunny_hundal: Exclusive: Evening Standard buried report on high-flying Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  46. Everything London

    The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  47. Everything London

    The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  48. David Cushman

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  49. David Cushman

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  50. socialworkuk

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  51. Michael McFarlane

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon) < What did you expect?

  52. debaucherydean

    RT @monstertalk: RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  53. Howard Gees

    RT @LDN The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  54. jonny mugwump

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  55. David Andrew

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  56. kerrussell

    RT @libcon: Evening Standard buried report on Tory PPC Shaun Bailey http://bit.ly/9T6kVt

  57. kerrussell

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  58. Richard Elsen

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (viap @libcon) – prob p14 with weak Tory endorsement

  59. Yemi Makinde

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon) #sameoldtories

  60. Alastair McKenzie

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  61. Niall

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  62. Andrew Francis

    RT @LDN: The Evening Standard buries a report on a high-flying Tory http://bit.ly/bzbgUr (via @libcon)

  63. Belladonna

    Tut tut Shaun Bailey this guy is my would be Tory MP http://tinyurl.com/2vpgq2a

  64. That was the election that was - Chicken Yoghurt

    [...] remember any details of the televised debates. Trivia trumped issues, important stories were buried, and what Rupert Murdoch wants rated higher than the needs of British [...]





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