You kind of get the feeling that LH is resorting to questionable tactics in order to try and sow the seeds of uncertainty regarding the brand so that it can get it's own way regarding the price.

The fact is that we have no idea how solid the original deal is (although I suspect that SMB being no fool, it is probably watertight), and therefore LH are looking for any way out of having to shell out £300m given their other commitments right now.

At the end of the day SMB pulled the trigger and backed LH into this corner, I suspect that they don't care right now how they try and get out of it, if they can.