Tuesday 7 July 2009

Rowengate- Rochdale's current MP wins minor battle but forfeits war?

What an interesting few days.
[gravytraincolour-1.jpg]

Paul Rowen wasted one of his last Get Out of Jail Cards by paying lawyers Pannones to threaten the Rochdale Observer with libel. The Guardian Media Grope blinked and hung its new Rochdale Obscurer Editor and young reporter out to dry.

One of Paul Rowen's finest tactical hours? Or a crassly stupid move by a desperate politician who is damaged goods?

This hubris could take the heat off Team Rowen for the next few weeks regarding expenses, but a die has been cast. Those with influence in the media who have been threatened have very long memories.

Having the pyrrhic victory published in the Press Gazzette - this makes any further delving into Paul Rowen's activities a tad more newsworthy.


Rowen's comedic 15p knob of butter and 40p banana were claimed and repeated in the Obby's vague "apology". The question of office, printing and communication expenses and allowances have NOT been resolved - despite the clumsy gagging order .

The muttering within the Liberal Democrats in Rochdale and the Federal Party is growing. Yet the real scandals that will dog Paul Rowen haven't really seen light of day yet.

The real test will be how the Guardian Media Group handles future newsworthy scandals about Paul Rowen and the Rochdale Lib Dems - especially if they confirm that Rowen's libel threats were hollow.

Sleeze, incompetance, fiddling, corruption, criminality, sex abuse?

Will those with the power to investigate and publish now be scared off by cheap threats?

Or will they be even more resolved to get to the truth?

Only time will tell.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think Rowen will come out smelling of roses on this one. His clumsy bullying tactics might win the approval of Malcolm Porno but ultimately they will be self defeating.

Get Real said...

Rochdale Online 'news' is really funny at the moment.

Not a mention of Rowen's woes.

Daft attacks against Rochdale Council by Malcolm (what's wrong Porn-O, are the advertising revenues for Rowen Online on their arse?)

The rest are crappy press releases just badly topped and tailed.

Does Porn-O pay minimum wage to 'his journalists'?

Or is it not even as much as that?

Now that would make a good story!

Anonymous said...

Nice One Obby. Nice placing of an apparently unrelated headline next to the photo of the rosey cheeked Rowen...

"£200K Surgery Theft?"

No-one turns up to Paul Rowen's MP surgeries.

But he still has the bare faced cheek to claim all those expenses, salary and allowances.

plus a few others. Council of Europe jollies (not accounted for in the Telegraph?)

Light Rail jollies?

Terry Mason jollies?

Rotarian jollies?

Ugandan jollies?

Rowen's 40p banana said...

the whole banana story has been blown out of all proportion- 7 paragraphs.

Claimed by a very naughty intern who will be punished.