A woman of substance

Mrs Gillian Duffy has reportedly turned down huge sums of money to sell her story to the press. According to Max Clifford she could make up to £250,000 but only if she wants to. She is currently besieged by reporters, hence she has employed a PR firm one, with admittedly Tory links, but this is due to a family connection. Feeling under strain, Mrs Duffy rang her daughter who is head of compliance at a Manchester firm of lawyers, who use Bell Pottinger North to handle their own PR.

“This has got no link to any political associations that Bell Pottinger as a group might have,” Mr Butters said. “This comes purely from the family connection. We have not tried to influence Mrs Duffy in any way, we have simply passed on to her the options that have been put to us. These range from doing a deal with a particular newspaper, to just reading out a statement outside the house. There have been lots of offers that have been declined, and some are still on the table.”

If Mrs Duffy manages to hold firm and resist the lure of easy money from people who wish to sway the vote and exploit the situation, she will certainly  prove herself to be a woman of enormous moral convictions as well as the voice of the people.

Had I been in her situation I would have undoubtedly fluffed my questions due to nerves. Had Clegg or Cameron (I’m still oscillating)  called me a ‘dizzy blond bimbo’ as a result of either misunderstanding my question, frustration, or plain disrespectful prejudice, then I wouldn’t hesitate to sign on the dotted line.

Mind you, they would probably have had a point!