Sunday Times editor John Witherow is not known for having an extensive contacts book or indeed for giving his news desk many story tips. But he sure looks after those contacts he still cultivates when not shouting at his staff.
Take Mark Bolland, his old chum, whom the ST always gave flattering attention when he was Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales (1998-2002). Whenever he was mentioned in the ST Witherow insisted that some reference was made to his being known by the two princes, William and Harry, as Blackadder - a moniker Boland enjoyed and even traded off at the top of his dead and unlamented News of the World column.
The fact that the name was made up and that the princes never called him anything of the sort was neither here nor there. Witherow is now extending the same favour for his chum and tennis partner Lord Levy, Labour's erstwhile fundraiser, who finds himself questioned by the Knackers investigating the cash for peeages scandal.
All stories about Levy in the ST are fed by him via Witherow who insists that some reference is made to him in the paper's copy to being known as "Lord Cashpoint" - a name dreamed up by Levy who rather loves it.
Again, no one in political circles ever calls him that, but hey: the truth can be a relative thing in what passes for news in the Sunday Times.
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