Newspaper diarists, wind yer necks in: Guido Fawkes is on the warpath. In a recent post, delicately headlined "Thieving parasitical journalists", the celebrated political blogger declares war on hacks from the "dead tree press", particularly those from Associated Newspapers, including the Evening Standard's Sebastian Shakespeare and the Daily Mail's Peter McKay whom Guido (real name Paul Staines) feels have - how shall we put it? – utilised his website for stories. Guido writes: "For some reason employees of Associated Newspapers seem to be the most common thieving parasites - lifting stories without credit or payment. Guido has had a few run-ins with diarists, most of which have been settled amicably over a bottle or two. Not Sebastian Shakespeare however, he is the editor of the Londoner's Diary in the Standard and he is a thieving ****ing magpie … He makes no bones about it, in a heated row last year Sebastian admitted he steals Guido's work and 'so what?' Harry Phibbs who freelances for Londoner's Diary subsequently had lunch with Guido and said that it should be taken as a compliment. Like a burglar being caught and saying to his victim 'never mind, we both have great taste in old masterpieces'. F*** off you thief." And so on. In fact such is Guido's wrath that pictures of Messrs Shakespeare, McKay and Phibbs adorn the site with the words "gossip thieves" emblazoned in bright red across them. Monkey wonders who owns gossip and how is it stolen? Monkey supposes none of those hacks in the firing line should start by offering Guido a job in proper journalism. That really would send him over the edge.
