A cold but sunny day at the Bastille...

The mainstream media is playing catch-up with the blogosphere on ClimateGate - a pattern that will seem familiar to those keeping up-to-date with the topic about which the blogosphere has led the way.

Today, the delay seems worthwhile, as The Times puts out large to the wider population the news that the University of East Anglia whose Climate Research Unit is at the centre of the global ClimateGate scandal "broke the law by refusing to hand over its raw data for public scrutiny".

And, as you may have already read on some excellent blogs we've been pointing you to, the Information Commissioner's Office is so appalled that it cannot prosecute in this case due to the protracted timescales concerned that it is "now seeking to change the law to allow prosecutions if a complaint is made more than six months after a breach."

The newspaper has, for some reason, felt it necessary to get someone responsible for climate advice at The Met Office to try to persuade the public that the science behind the climate scandal remains sound.

This blog doesn't hold out much hope for them being able to convince any of us. 'Fool me once...'

The Guardian also covers the same story with a few different quotes. We were most intrigued by this sentence attributed to Phil Willis MP. Willis is the Liberal Democrat MP who chairs the Parliamentary science committee which is carrying out an investigation into all that has been going on since ClimateGate blew as the weak link on Pandora's Box.

Willis apparently says: "Given the seriousness of this issue, the fact that it has caused global consternation, and has given ammunition to the climate sceptics – to have such a serious breach and for there to be no recourse in law requires urgent attention by the government."

What is it that the scandal has done in your view, Mr. Willis? What was it you said again?

"...has given ammunition to the climate sceptics."

Right. So will you be chairing your parliamentary committee's investigation with any particular bias or opinion in mind, then..? Or are you going to be completely impartial which is all that we, the people, are now demanding?

Meanwhile, the brilliant James Delingpole - speaking to the sword of truth that is Alex Jones - has drawn parallels with we, the people storming the Bastille occupied by big Government and corporations, reflecting that we, the people are no being longer fooled. Judging by the comments posted on the Daily Mail, it would seem that public opinion is very much on the side of the so-called 'climate sceptics'.