No 10 aide fired over 'obscene' email smears
'Dirty tricks' campaign making serious allegations about senior Tories backfires on Gordon Brown adviser. Jane Merrick and Matthew Bell report
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REUTERS
Damian McBride: The spin-doctor who became the story was 'shocked and appalled' that his emails were obtained by a right-wing blogger
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Gordon Brown sacked his closest political adviser yesterday over a series of "hugely defamatory" and "obscene" emails about a plan to smear David Cameron and other senior Conservative MPs.
The Prime Minister was forced to remove Damian McBride, his long-standing but controversial spin-doctor, after the private emails were obtained by a right-wing blogger.
Mr Brown took the view that there was "no place in politics for the dissemination or publication of material of this kind", Downing Street said.
Mr McBride, 34, used his official No 10 email address to suggest the leaking of damaging allegations about a number of Tories, including Mr Cameron and George Osborne. He also proposed a story concerning an unwarranted personal slur on George Osborne's wife Frances.
A Tory backbencher, Nadine Dorries, is planning to sue Mr McBride after learning that she was the subject of a "salacious" allegation relating to her and a senior Tory, which she said was untrue.
They were sent to the prominent Labour blogger Derek Draper and, although they were private, they suggested possible "stories" on a future Labour-supporting "attack blog", Red Rag. However, the emails were obtained by Paul Staines, who writes a right-wing Westminster blog under the name Guido Fawkes.
Labour sources believe Mr Draper's email account was hacked into, although the messages were copied to at least one other person.
Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke had earlier called on the Prime Minister to sack Mr McBride for bringing "shame" to the Labour Party.
Downing Street announced shortly before 5pm yesterday that Mr McBride had resigned, though it was clear he had been sacked.
A No 10 spokesman said: "Neither the Prime Minister, nor anybody else in Downing Street, had knowledge of these emails. It is the Prime Minister's view that there is no place in politics for the dissemination or publication of material of this kind, which is why it is right that Mr McBride and Mr Draper took the decision not to publish this material and regrettable that others are choosing to do so."
Mr McBride, who began working for Mr Brown as a Treasury civil servant, said in a statement that he was "shocked and appalled" at the way his emails had been used.
He added: "I have already apologised for the inappropriate and juvenile content of my emails, and the offence they have caused, but I did not want these stories in the public domain – it is because Paul Staines has put them there, and I am sickened that he has done so. However, we all know that when a backroom adviser becomes the story, their position becomes untenable, so I have willingly offered my resignation."
The row has brought to a head the ongoing war between the right and left in political blogging. Mr Staines hinted at the existence of the emails on Thursday, by posting "He who lives by the smear..." next to a picture of Mr McBride. Shortly after the resignation was announced yesterday, he wrote: "Mission Accomplished: McBride Fired."
The swift action by the Prime Minister came as a surprise to some MPs because Mr McBride had been a close and loyal aide for more than a decade. Mr Brown has a reputation for fiercely protecting his inner circle.
It is unremarkable that members of political parties plan dirty tricks campaigns against their opponents. Mr Brown had little choice, however, but to remove him, because of the salacious nature of the emails.
Mr McBride's closeness to the Prime Minister meant the emails had the potential to drag Mr Brown into the row.
Mr Draper told the BBC: "You are hanging a man for sending a silly email to a mate. Is that really fair?"
But the shadow Home Secretary, Chris Grayling, said: "This whole episode has been quite disgraceful. This resignation is a clear admission that Gordon Brown's team at No 10 was involved in a deliberate attempt to spread unpleasant false rumours about opposition politicians. Gordon Brown needs to provide a clear explanation about what happened."
Last year Mr McBride was moved from his role as the PM's press secretary after divisions emerged in the Downing Street operation.
Damian McBride
The spin-doctor who became the story was 'shocked and appalled' that his emails were obtained by a right-wing blogger
Nadine Dorries
Tory backbencher is the subject of one 'salacious' email involving her and a male senior Tory. She has read the email and plans to sue for defamation
Charles Clarke
Was the first Labour figure to call on the Prime Minister to sack Mr McBride. The spin-doctor had brought 'shame' to the Labour Party, he said
Paul Staines aka Guido Fawkes
Right-wing blogger and scourge of the political establishment who obtained the emails. Posted yesterday: 'Mission Accomplished: McBride Fired'
Derek Draper
The former adviser to Peter Mandelson was sacked in 1998 over the Lobbygate scandal. 'Why hang someone for sending a silly email to a mate?' he said
The 'lies and innuendo' that McBride was peddling
The emails begin with a BlackBerry message from Damian McBride on 13 January 2009 at 18.34. He wrote:
Gents, A few ideas I've been working on for Red Rag. For ease, I've written all the below as I'd write them for the site, but obviously Andrew will want to adapt for his own house style, length, etc. The first one is a solid investigative story, so may be a good one to use early. The other three are gossipy and mainly intended to destabilise the Tories. I'm not sure how to set up easy links in the copy of the text, so I've stuck in the full links below each bit of relevant text. Damian
Mr McBride then suggests a "solid investigative story" about a gay Tory MP promoting his companion's business interests in the Commons, suggesting that it "may be a good one to use early". The other three, he admits, "are gossipy and mainly intended to destabilise the Tories".
On David Cameron:
"He could clear up exactly how much the Camerons are worth ... and he could make clear that he's not hiding any embarrassing illnesses."
On George Osborne:
"Embarrassing photos have followed George Osborne around throughout his career: posing in his Bullingdon Club uniform at Oxford, lying on the carpet at home in his permed mullet playing Monopoly with his fellow viscounts ... But he knows that the most embarrassing photos from his past have yet to emerge."
Derek Draper replied:
Sent 13 January 2009 at 18.56. To: Damian McBride Subject: Re: Rag [UNCLASSIFIED] [Non-Record]
These are absolutely totally brilliant Damian. I'll think about timing and sort out the technology with Andrew so we can go asap. Do we want to tip off anyone about Red Rag having set up? Walters? I could do it and say LabourList had been sent the link anonymously. PS: Don't forget LabourList, Damian!
From Damian McBride
I think Red Rag should appear with no preview – as you say – but with a good initial story and with LabourList then mentioning that the bug is catching ... Tom was going away today after a chat with me to work on a couple of insiderish announcements for LabourList about appointments to Labour HQ and No10. I'm working on a couple of other things as well ... we've got to keep the momentum going over the weekend – it's been brilliant so far.
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Comments
I don't need to be a fly on the wall to hear the conversation: "I'm sorry we have to do this, Damian, but don't worry - we look after our friends."
What an ignorant lot they are!.
People know what other cronies are up to, even in general.
Word gets around.
Then when all this corruption gets out, they are all so sorry, but nobody else knew a thing.
I don't believe it for one minute.
Just shows Gordon Brown is not doing his job as party leader, maybe that's how he wants it.
Nasty liebour staff surrounded by ignorant liebour staff.
He cannot run his own party properly, let alone this country.
I'm sick of the entire lot.
For anyone to suggest that the Conservative Party doesn't indulge in this type of activity is just wrong, if not deceitful.
To be given a glimpse of the party machinery is fantastic, if only we had access to it all!
It speaks volumes about Brown's apparent scantimonous attitude. He likes to dam his enemies, especially those he saw as rivals within his own Party for the leadership. He used McBride to smear his enemies, but disownes him as soon as he was caught. No loyalty at No 10.
There will be no tears within Labour for his passing, but he, like Draper, will cling to the apron strings of Labour because they are virtually unemployable in the normal world. They specialise in sleaze and that is the sum total of their worth.
The electorate know about them and their exposure reinforces their knowlege that Labour really is the dirty sleazy Party.
Stick to reading the Sunday Sport.
its going to take a generation or two (if we are spared) to get rid of such toxic clearly deeply held attitudes - where were they learned in the first place, i wonder?
Who started this little ruck then/ Read the horrendous claptrap on Guido Fawkes, and the filthy language of their posters. Why should anyone have to tolerate cyberbullying and mendacious accusations?
Looks like we are all going to be bored to tears by muck raking and libels. Wimbledon has arrived early this year!
Politics is a cesspit anyhow, and only adrenaline junkies get a kick out of it.
Still , in an open season , anything and everything will surface, just don't leave the 6th form common room door ajar too often!
Where are our Tory voices, crying feebly in the background? There is a sort of leadership HUSH.
Dan Hannans is the only memorable loud passionate voice heard recently.
2. He continually refers to them as private. They are not - they were sent from a PC in the Number 10 network, therefore definitely not private, as they could be subject to an FOI request.
How much lower will Labour stoop before the next election?
Repugnant is a far better description.
I am concerned though that government aides and journalists are pretty much the same sort of person, gossip gatherers . Newspapers exist in these hard times on rumour , salacious banter and disgraceful innuendo. Politics and Celebrity attract like moths to a flame.
Brown resurrected Peter Mandelsson not for his skills as a minister (very limited) but his penchant for spin, deceit and smears. Similarly the truly dreadful and discredited Derek Draper - he of Lobbygate fame and someone with a serial problem when it comes to telling the truth has also reappeared at Labour head office at Brown's behest. People familiar with Damon McBride stress he has always been a vile insect interested only in smears and lies, and always very close to Brown.
Why does Brown surround himself with such people? Because this is the way he likes to conduct politics and this is the way he intends to fight the next election campaign. Brown sacrificed McBride for the cardinal sin of getting caught not for what he did. It was Brown who assembled this motley team of loathsome gossipers, Brown who decided he wanted to fight the next election campaign from the gutter, and it is Brown who should rightly resign.
What a way to try and sap the meaning out of words!
"One political party with two right wings", as Gore Vidal said of the US political scene.
The kindest interpretation I can think of is that we have a couple of moronic yobs having a laugh.
But wait a minute, one of these morons is the prime Minister's most influential advisor, the other a self styled mover and shaker, confidant of all the Government big wigs.
i have paid some 100.000 pounds in direct taxation to this government over the last twelve years. And this is the calibre of people administering it.
My goodness, it makes you weep with despair.
The most shocking thing I've noticed so far during this tawdry affair is that Damian McBride is only 34 years old. Looking at his photo I assumed he was at least 20 years older. So that's what being at the centre of this government does to you. It somehow makes all those taxes paid over well worth it.
This might well be how politics is done, and I'm under no illusion that it's common practice, but every time I see it happen I hate it, I hate it more when it's the governing party doing it, and even more when it's the party I helped elect.
How much more of this shit do we have to come? Perhaps fortunately, not much more.
Says just about all we need to know . . . . . but there's more . . .
Time for him to clear his desk!!
Sounds like these shysters conspired to defame people, and fellow liebourites deny all knowledge of anything about it and anything to do with it.
A bit more 'digging' by uncorrupted newspaper reporters,
will bring more light to 'the dirty goings on of the liebour party'.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
The crass stupidity of Golem Brown and this Labour administration never ceases to astound. Once again they've lost bigger than they ever thought they'd win.
They get themselves into such a tizzy over this "Guido Fawkes" guy that they determine to play fire with fire. But they were out of their depth, didn't understand the rules of the game, or that you had to be rather clever to play it. "Guido Fawkes" is jolly good at what he does. He goaded them, then lured them into a trap, played them along and then annihilated them.
One of them has resigned (no doubt with a considerable "golden goodbye" and as someone noted above, the certainty of another position when the dust has settled - such is the arrogance and degeneracy of this government) and the other - Derek Draper - is now just a figure of scorn and ridicule, making things worse for himself with his pathetic attempts at justification.
Going back to the quote of Genghis Khan above, I guess Kate Garraway should get ready to cosy up to "Guido Fawkes" - seldom has a man been quite so conquered as Derek Draper.
They were sent from Ten, Downing Street by a man who is paid out of public funds, for crying out loud.
Caught lying, New Labour has only one response; namely, to tell a bigger lie.
The Labour Party sold its soul when it accepted Blair and Campbell: personaly, I suspect it will never recover.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Good to see that we still have a sense of priority.
Sounds more like as if the Tory party is definitely dead though, and will take a miracle to resurrect it to be born again. Perhaps on the third day it will rise , again!
Ooooooooooooooh Daniel Hannan, please talk loudly for us again.
Labour probably fear the BNP more than anyone else - they know they're going to take a hiding in Labour-Tory marginals, but if the BNP start to take their "core vote" in the heartlands (together with the SNP squeezing them north of the border), they are in danger of being wiped out.
its not just "british jobs for british workers" but the promise of getting us out of the EU and stopping the mass immigration that they get my support , that and the sleazy labour mp we have here who wont even answer any serious concerns for the community ... well the tide is now turning on them and UK citizens have had enough of all the CONNING PARTIES !
Thank you
This man should not be working in Downing Street, he should work in Millbank and his salary paid out of NuLab's party funds, because he clearly works for them.
How many more?
We need to know his leaving package and also immediately when he is re-hired by Golem Brown in some capacity.