Sorry, but I wouldn't trust a word he says

I wrote about Raheem Kassam the other day. Trouble follows him where ‘ere he goes. Although he’s purportedly ‘on the right side’, there’s something of the night about Raheem. 

First he appears and disappears from his post as the Henry Jackson Society’s director of marketing, then an acrimonious split with Robin Shepherd and departure from the Commentator, then something or other at Breitbart London, then all this gossip about a much (self) edited Wiki page, subsequently deleted, then he was Nigel’s chief of staff, then he resigned, then back to Breitbart, forcing Dellers and the  other chap, Milo Yainnopoulos, out.

Guido understands that shock-jock firebrands James Delingpole and Milo Yiannopou‎los are both exiting Breitbart London. The return of Farage’s former chief of staff Raheem Kassam to Breitbart has left the two in despair, after they had spent nine months trying to move the site away from the hectoring Tea Party-style news service Kassam ran it as during his previous stint at the site. Kassam says the US-funded site will once again take a keen interest in UKIP’s affairs.Rumour has it the two have retreated to the country to plan a new YouTube-heavy entertainment website of their own. ‎The walkout is bad news for Breitbart London, Delingpole and Yiannopoulos were two of the most well known writers on the staff and both are brands in their own right with considerable personal followings; [...[The ever energetic Kassam more generously says “James and Milo have been fantastic columnists for Breitbart London, we wouldn’t be where we are now without them. I hope that despite the loss of editorial control they will continue to contribute to the site.” 

I can’t help thinking of Lady Bracknell. To lose one job, Mr. Kassam, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose a handful looks like carelessness.

There was a distinctly “Alistair Campbell” look on his face when he appeared with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight; a look that expresses a kind of satisfaction from publicly dishing the dirt and speaking “as an insider”, while trying (but failing) to look self-sacrificial and slightly pained. (Alistair Campbell had that look while doing the rounds as an ex-alcoholic, intimate and adviser to Charles Kennedy.)

Raheem Kassam’s Ukip related gossip, some of which, as it happens does ring true, has been featured in both the Spectator and the Guardian, and many of the below the line comments in both politically opposite papers are uncannily similar. Mostly suspicious and critical. 

A Guardian comment:

“Something very unpleasant about this man, I'm sorry but I wouldn't trust a word he says.”

Trust him or not, the BBC will relish these revelations as they denigrate UKIP. Come to think of it, so will the Guardian and the Spectator.  Common enemy and all that. In the short term Raheem Kassam can only benefit from the publicity, but we’ll have to wait and see if anything more damaging comes to light.