If the blackmail offer is rejected, the blackmailer may exercise his rights of free speech and publicize the secret.

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The committee is also questioning whether candidates should be allowed to make a speech before MSPs take part in the secret ballot to elect them.

BBC: Review of Holyrood presiding officer election rules

His secret dash to Afghanistan and speech from the Bagram airbase (speaking at 4am local time in order to hit prime-time TV back home) suggests that Mr Obama has decided to squeeze every ounce of electoral advantage from it.

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The iconoclastic Apple CEO shared his secret for success with Stanford University graduates last week in a surprising commencement speech.

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