Ms. Penny’s fees

As the dust settles after Saturday’s fracas between David Starkey and Laurie Penny, a source familiar with the situation explains to Mr Steerpike the history between these two scribes:
 

‘David and Ms Penny were supposed to be debating at a fundraising event for the Thomas Paine Society about a week ago. Penny was in the US and had demanded a fee (which David did not: he only charges corporate engagements fees and does a huge amount pro bono). Such was her request that the event was cancelled — they couldn’t afford her. So David mentioned this in response to the tax avoidance jibe and ended up saying, “I came up from the bottom and won’t be lectured at by a jumped up public school girl like you, I will not have it.”‘