« Gordon and Frank | Main | Sympathy for the Devil »
April 30, 2008
Paul "Pot" Staines, meet Mr Kettle
A brief selections of Paul Staines' many posts related to politicians and public figures who suffer from drink problems...
www.order-order.com - Hilary Armstrong : "Three MPs Drank Themselves to Death"Ex-chief whip Hilary Armstrong has gone on the record to the Whitehall & Westminster newsletter with a candid admission that many MPs are drunks.
www.order-order.com - Charlie Denies Drink Problem
www.order-order.com - Whisky Business at the GLA
www.order-order.com - Des Smith Hits the bottleDes Smith hit the bottle hard last week under the pressure of the police inquiry into the cash for honours scam. He broke down in tears yesterday in court as he was sentenced for drink driving at Redbridge magistrates. The police evidence to the court was that he was three times over the maximum limit.
www.order-order.com - LibDems Support Tots for TotsGuido's mother used to dip his soother in rum, never did Guido any harm...
www.order-order.com - Euan is UnwellWhat kind of drunken example is he setting? Hospital is for sissys.
There's an exquisite irony in those last two posts, given this little item in the Indie.
The Independent - Pandora: Blogger 'Guido Fawkes' is led off to the TowerLobbyists, aides and parliamentarians from all sides of the Houses – particularly those with something to hide – will be delighted to learn that the famously thirsty troublemaker, real name Paul Staines, was up before the beak at Tower Bridge Magistrates Court last Thursday.
He admitted driving while under the influence and without insurance after being stopped by the Plod in the small hours of 17 April, driving his wife's Volkswagen fast and swerving across lanes in south London. He was breathalysed and found to be almost twice the legal limit. Asked by District Judge Timothy Stone whether he had an alcohol problem, Staines said: "Possibly."
Sentencing is on 15 May. It is his fourth alcohol-related offence and second drink-driving reprimand – he was banned for 12 months in 2002 – requiring the judge to consider a jail sentence.
I wonder what odds I'd get on Paul trying to pretend it never happened? I doubt any reference will be allowed to appear in the comments on his blog. Still, if he does have an alcohol problem (and on the evidence that would appear to be the case), then the first step is to admit to the problem. Once he comes out of a state of denial, then he can begin the process of recovery. He owes it to his wife and children to sort himself out.
With his track record of putting the boot into others with similar problems, he's not going to find much sympathy to his plight in the blogging world. Still, even Libertarians can't scoff at laws designed to protect others. If he wants to drink himself into an early grave then that's a matter for him and his family. But taking his alcohol problem behind the wheel of a car and onto the public highway is another matter altogether. If it takes a custodial sentence to bring him back to reality then so be it.
And after all those predictions that Lord Levy would be doing bird, it looks like Guido might beat him to the Scrubs. He'd better be careful in the showers or he'll be well and truly fawked.
Posted by Clive on April 30, 2008 12:22 PM in the category Meta-Blogging