"Scallywag" became a news story in itself in 1993 when it stoked a rumour that John Major, then Prime Minister, was having an affair with Clare Latimer, who was a freelance cook who helped with state dinners at 10 Downing Street. A story in the "New Statesman" showed how the rumours had been covertly mentioned in mainstream papers. When Major heard of the "New Statesman" story he sued both them and "Scallywag" for libel; he also sued the distributors and printers of both papers, which contributed to nearly driving the "New Statesman" out of business.