Even if they are, there is no evidence to say it's not just Ashley looking for compensation or suchlike. Staveley seems to have decided to go quiet now after giving daily updates to Caulkin for months. Maybe that's how things should have been done all along however.
Maybe it's Blackstone chambers going all Tyler Durden on the parties involved The first rule of takeover club is you do not talk about takeover club. The second rule of takeover club is you DO NOT TALK about takeover club.
Like you say though probably the way it should have been done in the first place.