Paul Mason has been left humiliated after press regulator IPSO dismissed his complaint against The Sun over that famous candid recording at Labour conference. Mason ran to the watchdog after a young freelance reporter overheard him in a Liverpool restaurant loudly discussing his real views on Jeremy Corbyn. Unfortunately for Mason, that young reporter caught him on tape…

“Corbyn doesn’t appeal to the mainstream working class vote. It’s to do with a cultural thing about London. Corbyn goes to England on a bike and cycles round. Working class people go to a leader. He has no cultural references to the way they live.”

On publication Mason exploded on Twitter, ranting about the “scab newspaper” that had ruined his Corbynista street cred. The leather-jacketed lefty lodged a complaint with IPSO, forcing a five month probe. Today, Guido can finally report their findings. IPSO has ruled entirely in favour of the young reporter and entirely against Mason.

IPSO found there was no breach of Clause 10 (preventing journalists from using clandestine devices).

“The images of the complainant were obtained by the use of a mobile phone camera… the photographer had not used a hidden camera, or engaged in subterfuge, to obtain the material.”

IPSO found there was no breach of Clause 2 (right to privacy).

“The complainant, a political commentator, had been discussing politics with a professional contact, and had not spoken about personal or private matters…The publication of the conversation did not represent an intrusion into the complainant’s private life… The complaint was not upheld.”

Guido can now reveal that during IPSO’s investigation:

Mason claimed the young reporter involved “specialised” in undercover and covert work. Untrue.

Mason claimed the restaurant where the recording was made was planted with clandestine devices. Untrue.

Mason claimed the pictures which accompanied the story were taken by a pinhole camera. Untrue.

Mason claimed the young reporter had broken the editor’s code. Untrue.

These claims from Mason were the angry fantasies of an embarrassed, hypocritical old hack who should have known better than to complain. The truth, Guido can reveal, is that Mason’s unguarded bombast was easily picked up on an iPhone held by a young reporter who simply fancied fried chicken for his lunch. That young reporter did not specialise in undercover work, he was a budding political journalist. He did not plant recording devices around the restaurant, Mason was yakking so loudly that his criticisms of Corbyn could easily be heard by the young reporter and recorded on his iPhone. How does Guido know all this? He hired that reporter…