The 'Milly Dowler' moment that never was

Nothing in politics is truly private

The hacking of Millie Dowler's phone sparked public outrage

Most people outside the Westminster village would be surprised – and perhaps shocked – by the amount of informal, gossipy and sometimes crude chat that goes on between journalists, politicians and their spin doctors.

Mostly those conversations never see the light of day. But just occasionally something is said which is so explosive that it is irresistible for a journalist to keep it to themself. That was true of Alastair Campbell’s famous description of Gordon Brown as “psychologically flawed”. It was also true of the Tory Chairman Lord Feldman’s ill-judged remark that Tory activists were “swivel-eyed loons”.

Tony Blair’s spokesman, during his No 10 days, was lambasted for calling the late government weapons inspector David Kelly a “Walter Mitty” character, and Ed Miliband still bitterly regrets telling the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson privately that he was going to “weaponise” the NHS.

The latest case, where a Labour aide is said to have suggested that the row over Tory tax avoidance could be another “Milly Dowler moment” is, however, slightly different. That’s because the aide in question never used the phrase that appeared to have been attributed to him. Rather it was the journalist concerned who interpreted the sentiment – that the tax avoidance scandal could be similarly damaging to the Tories as phone hacking – in such an emotive and ill-judged manner.

Regardless it should be a salutary lesson to all concerned. Nothing in politics is truly private.