It is described as the Full Monty of journalism, as in 1998 a group of five
Hull night shift factory, making plastic bottle tops, decided to turn sleuth
in search of making big money and investigate the political shenanigans of their
local council, and the then newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.
What followed next was a wholesale comedy of errors as the five men, using the
most unorthodox of investigative methods went in search of their political quarry
and the dream of making big money to boot. Things did not exactly turn out as
planned and their messy trail of alcohol related investigations started to take
on more a more serious aspect, as their activities started to cause rumblings
across Hull and in government corridors of power. It was not too long before
matters started to get seriously out hand, and out of control, as the hunters
became the hunted, as they the five factory workers themselves came under the
scrutiny of the national and international media and found themselves being
chased unceremoniously around Hull by photographers and hordes of Journalists.
With Headlines across the national press like, “Vendetta” “Conspiracy” “Prescott’s Dustbin Nicked” the five men ran for cover and watched in fearful awe as National TV stations like ITN blared out. “Is the government in crisis”? Panic now ensued in the ranks of the five men and they all started to blame each other. Two of the five were arrested for conspiracy to steal the Deputy Prime Ministers Dustbin and its contents, and so the affair was dubbed Dustbingate by the press.
Now, after the publication of a political comedy, the book, Dustbingate in 1999, the book has been put to screenplay, and despite many problems over the years trying to promote the film, an option has just been signed for one year, for a substantial sum with American Producer Joe R Weiner of the famous Weiner Film family of Los Angeles. Joe Weiner will hold the option for one year and is sure he can either raise the finance for the movie independently in the US or sell the project as a package. But the project is at an early stage, and what needs to be made clear is that the film will be a comedy, about five hapless factory workers on a crazy adventure, the movie will in no way be political or make any political points. “I like the Full Monty of Journalism nickname and want to keep it that way.” said Joe Weiner
Ian Newton the author of the book and the screenplay feels the same way about the project, and so does Mark Metcalf a shareholder in the project. “I want this to be a political comedy.” said Ian, “There is no intention whatsoever to make political points against the government. This is about having fun with politics. In 1998 we all had an incredible time, and absolute fun like you cannot imagine. Some of the journalist’s were an incredible laugh and joined in the fun. And that’s the real story of Dustbingate. So Tony Blair and John Prescott do not have to worry. There is even a spot in script for Tony Blair to do a cameo if he wants. Now that would be really great.”
‘The Full Monty
of Politics!’
The Observer, August 2003
“An absolute
hoot!! And they nearly got Prescott as well!!”
Peter Trollop, Producer, World in Action, Granada TV
“Absolutely hilarious
and wickedly funny.”
Christian Wolmar, Westminster Correspondent, the Independent and The New
Statesman
“Money is the
motive for Prescott vendetta.”
Nicholas Watt and Dominic Kennedy, The Times
“A top news story
scooped by night shift workers. A serious issue, but bloody funny.”
Roger Shrives, Socialist Review
“Is the Government
in crisis?”
Lead story, Independent Television News, Julia Sommerville.
See also The Independent online edition for January 31st 2005 and article titled ‘In America: Silver Screen beckons for Prezza and ‘Dustbingate’ at http://news.independent.co.uk/people/pandora/story.jsp?story=606201
A series of commercial ventures are being examined to exploit the proposed film, including a game. Prospective investors are asked to make contact. Anyone wanting to invest in the film should ring 07967 886257 for a chat.
Marina Hyde’s Diary in the Guardian on February 24th and March 2nd
also has articles on ‘Dustbingate’ at http://www.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,3604,1423864,00.html
and http://politics.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,9176,1428485,00.html
John Prescott has never been very backward in coming forward, and has never been known to spare the blushes of those around him when it comes to venting his fury in whatever language of profanity that spills forth from his mouth. But what came out of John Prescott’s mouth when one of his aides was foolish enough to asked him in a joke, “Who should play him in the Dustbingate movie?” made even those seasoned Prescott watchers, accustomed to his builders vernacular shocked and slightly taken aback. In an amazing outburst reported in a national broadsheet recently, the depth of John Prescott’s feeling towards the Dustbingate film project spilled forth taking most of those around him by surprise, and probably John Prescott too, as he tends to do and say things on reflex, and only think about the consequences later. “Mention that again!!” he snarled at his wilting aid, “And I will put you through the fucking floor.”
For those readers who think the last few lines of the reported quote have in some way been mis-spelt or misquoted, we can quite understand your need to read it again just to check, and yes the “F” word is most certainly there, and the threat to help his aide leave the room without the use of a lift or the stairs is most certainly there too.
Whilst some of us might be old fashioned and believe that Deputy Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom might tend to act with a bit of dignity and decorum, not to mention manners, it seems John Prescott just cannot forget his days on the picket lines warming his cold hands around the brazier whilst his baseball bat leaned nearby and handy against the wall. Well it seems he has not forsaken the language of those long-gone halcyon days, but for the sake of his hapless aide, thank God he forgot the baseball bat.
Whatever people might say
about our dear old Deputy Prime Minister, he certainly does not mince his words,
only people apparently. Yet even John Prescott, as a seasoned and somewhat crusty
politician should realise the dangers of allowing professional journalists and
political enemies know what really winds you up. Now armed with the knowledge
of Prescott’s sore
points, lets hope we see some brave members of our intrepid press core (though
I doubt it) try lighting the blue touch paper to Prescott’s fuse with
a few telling questions about his dustbin, or lack of one, as it where, during
the forthcoming general election campaign.
Would people please be aware that the Dustbingate Film project is being stalked by a man called Michael Bond who uses an empty internet billboard site to claim he has a a film compnay called Norfilms. After investigation with Companies House this company has been shown to be a dormant company with no financial records and no assets.
The man and the company are making wild claims about the Dustbingate film project and both Ian Newton and Mark Metcalf would like to state, as joint owners of the rights, that this man and company have nothing whatsoever to do with the Dustbingate film project.
His activities of raising money in the Dustbingate name have been referred to both Manchester Trading Standards and the Police who are keeping on eye on the situation. Legal action is also being considered by Ian Newton and Mark Metcalf jointly.
Any potential investors to any of Michael Bonds companies would be wise to extract company documents from Companies House or the local library before parting with any money whatsover for any of Norfilms alleged projects.