OPINION: Blair’s new arrival reveals reliance on spin

The late Henry James, who served more prime ministers in the No 10 press office than anyone else, used to tell a good story about Harold Wilson, the arch-manipulator of the media. When Wilson rang up from the Scilly Isles during a bad period for his Government to find out what the Evening Standard was leading with, James replied: ’An absolutely awful, grisly murder.’ Quick as a flash, Wilson remonstrated: ’You have gone too far this time, Henry.’