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6 March 1997. Both Expresses feature the publication of lobbyist Ian Greer's book, 'One Man's Word', focusing on Greer's criticism of the Hamiltons' stay at the Paris Ritz ten years earlier, and Greer's (mistaken) belief (based on false allegations in the Guardian) that Hamilton had not properly declared his income tax. There is no mention of the fact that the central theme of Greer's book is an expose of The Guardian's corrupt journalism, nor of the fact that the Expresses are owned by The Guardian.

20 March 1997. The general election is now just six weeks away. The two Tatton papers focus on dissent within the local Conservative Association against Hamilton, brought about by The Guardian's national and local campaign. As usual, there is no mention of the tie-up between the three newspapers.

3 April 1997. The general election is four weeks away. The two Expresses report that the Tatton constituency's Labour candidate, Jon Kelly, has stepped down in the general election; and that the LibDems were talking to national celebrities in order to find someone to stand in Tatton against Neil Hamilton.  The usual no mention of the two papers' ownership by The Guardian.

17 April 1997. Two weeks to go. An invented article below the masthead focuses on 'allegations' by 'the lobbyist at the centre of the "cash for questions" investigations'.  The main article is a eulogy of a local 23 year old Naval officer who had announced his candidature after becoming 'disillusioned' with Neil Hamilton. Pages 2 & 3 carry over-the-top positive coverage of ex-BBC reporter Martin Bell, who had announced his decision to stand against Hamilton.  There is no mention of the fact that the Expresses are owned by The Guardian.

One week to go and The Wilmslow Express Advertiser & The Knutsford Express Advertiser go on an all-out propaganda war dressed up as news coverage. Pledges of support for Hamilton from local Conservatives disaffected by the prevailing negative publicity imply that the dissent actually continued.  Gushing articles on Martin Bell confer upon him humility and decency.  An item on the young Naval officer standing as an Independent candidate confers upon him the status of a hero.
      The letters page is full of vicious anti-Hamilton opinion, though one letter is included which attacks the Wilmslow Express, thus creating an impression of editorial balance.  There is no mention that the Expresses are owned by The Guardian.
      (A week later on 1 May 1997 Neil Hamilton lost his seat to Martin Bell.  For the story of Bell's intervention in the election read 'The Little Book of Bell', in Section Five).

...and finally...

J B Hunt's Trial by Conspiracy, published 19 10 98

The same day, the Guardian publishes two smear articles on Hamilton & Hunt

Three days later, the Knutsford Express publishes the same two smear articles

On the same day that Hunt's Trial by Conspiracy was published, The Guardian carried an extract from Tom Bower's biography of Fayed.  The extract, which Bower had written on information supplied by The Guardian, describes, as if fact, how Hamilton was paid 'cash in envelopes' processed by Fayed's office staff. The same page carried an article smearing Hunt & Keith-Hill entitled 'Author of attack on paper's ethics was fined £23,000 for tax dodge', which consisted of false and misleading statements. Three days later The Knutsford Express Advertiser carried a similar smear job on Hunt.  Neither newspaper contacted Hunt first.
    Hunt complained to the press-run Press Complaints Commission (PCC) about The Guardian article. Months later, Hunt found out about the Knutsford Express article and so complained about that too. A few weeks later The Guardian issued an apology about its article, following which the PCC rejected Hunt's complaint on the grounds that The Guardian had apologised.  The PCC then rejected Hunt's second complaint about the Knutsford Express article on the grounds that Hunt had submitted his complaint too late.

Knutsford Express & Wilmslow Express first page