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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Cameron 'furious' at e-mail slurs | Cameron 'furious' at e-mail slurs |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| David Cameron is demanding a personal apology from Prime Minister Gordon Brown over e-mails sent by an adviser discussing smearing the Tories. | David Cameron is demanding a personal apology from Prime Minister Gordon Brown over e-mails sent by an adviser discussing smearing the Tories. |
| The Tory leader is "absolutely furious" and is calling on Mr Brown to give a guarantee that such messages will not be sent again, a spokeswoman said. | The Tory leader is "absolutely furious" and is calling on Mr Brown to give a guarantee that such messages will not be sent again, a spokeswoman said. |
| Damian McBride quit after his unfounded claims about Mr Cameron and shadow chancellor George Osborne became known. | Damian McBride quit after his unfounded claims about Mr Cameron and shadow chancellor George Osborne became known. |
| Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne says Mr Brown knew nothing of the e-mails. | Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne says Mr Brown knew nothing of the e-mails. |
| But Labour backbencher John McDonnell has called for an inquiry to find out who was involved. | But Labour backbencher John McDonnell has called for an inquiry to find out who was involved. |
| 'Smear tactics' | 'Smear tactics' |
| Mr McDonnell called on Mr Brown to act decisively by launching an independent inquiry into who was involved. | Mr McDonnell called on Mr Brown to act decisively by launching an independent inquiry into who was involved. |
| "Smear tactics like this are not the Labour way," he said. | "Smear tactics like this are not the Labour way," he said. |
| "They drag the Labour Party into the gutter. They just add further to the undermining of the belief that Labour Party supporters have placed in our party." | "They drag the Labour Party into the gutter. They just add further to the undermining of the belief that Labour Party supporters have placed in our party." |
| A Number 10 spokesman said no-one else in Downing Street knew about the "juvenile and inappropriate" messages. | A Number 10 spokesman said no-one else in Downing Street knew about the "juvenile and inappropriate" messages. |
| The e-mails were originally sent in January to former government spin doctor Derek Draper, who runs the LabourList blog and was proposing to set up Red Rag, a new gossip-led site. | The e-mails were originally sent in January to former government spin doctor Derek Draper, who runs the LabourList blog and was proposing to set up Red Rag, a new gossip-led site. |
| Chris Grayling: "This was right at the very heart of our government" | Chris Grayling: "This was right at the very heart of our government" |
| However, they came to the attention of Paul Staines, author of the "anti-politics" Guido Fawkes blog, who revealed their existence. | However, they came to the attention of Paul Staines, author of the "anti-politics" Guido Fawkes blog, who revealed their existence. |
| Shadow foreign secretary William Hague demanded an apology from the prime minister, plus an investigation. | Shadow foreign secretary William Hague demanded an apology from the prime minister, plus an investigation. |
| He also called for an assurance that neither Damian McBride nor Derek Draper would work for the government or the Labour Party again. | He also called for an assurance that neither Damian McBride nor Derek Draper would work for the government or the Labour Party again. |
| "This has been a deeply disturbing revelation about the corrupting culture of spin which is still at the heart of Downing Street," he told the BBC. | "This has been a deeply disturbing revelation about the corrupting culture of spin which is still at the heart of Downing Street," he told the BBC. |
| Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling claimed the e-mails demonstrated a "structured plan" to publish "blatant lies" about opposition MPs. | Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling claimed the e-mails demonstrated a "structured plan" to publish "blatant lies" about opposition MPs. |
| "It's a sign of something absolutely rotten at the heart of Gordon Brown's Downing Street," he told BBC News. | "It's a sign of something absolutely rotten at the heart of Gordon Brown's Downing Street," he told BBC News. |
| There is tangible anger in some quarters of the party - concern that the publication of the e-mail extracts smears Labour in general Laura KuenssbergBBC political correspondent Departure of Brown's spin doctor | |
| "This is an exceptionally serious matter and he needs to explain immediately what happened. | "This is an exceptionally serious matter and he needs to explain immediately what happened. |
| "The real question now is - was [Mr McBride] the only person involved in all of this?" | "The real question now is - was [Mr McBride] the only person involved in all of this?" |
| Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson was also alleged to have been copied in on the e-mails. | Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson was also alleged to have been copied in on the e-mails. |
| However, Mr Watson said he had known nothing of the "completely inappropriate" messages and had no involvement in discussions to create the Red Rag site. | However, Mr Watson said he had known nothing of the "completely inappropriate" messages and had no involvement in discussions to create the Red Rag site. |
| 'Gossipy' | 'Gossipy' |
| "The first I was aware of the e-mail conversation that led to Damian McBride's resignation was when these were made known to Downing Street by national newspapers who had been given them by Paul Staines," he said. | "The first I was aware of the e-mail conversation that led to Damian McBride's resignation was when these were made known to Downing Street by national newspapers who had been given them by Paul Staines," he said. |
| Mr Byrne also dismissed suggestions of an orchestrated smear campaign. | Mr Byrne also dismissed suggestions of an orchestrated smear campaign. |
| "This was one private e-mail exchange between a couple of friends who were knocking backwards and forwards ideas," he said. | "This was one private e-mail exchange between a couple of friends who were knocking backwards and forwards ideas," he said. |
| Cabinet Office Minister Liam Byrne said Damian McBride did the "honourable thing" by resigning | Cabinet Office Minister Liam Byrne said Damian McBride did the "honourable thing" by resigning |
| "Mr McBride, having scribbled this stuff, decided that the right place for it was the waste basket," he added. | "Mr McBride, having scribbled this stuff, decided that the right place for it was the waste basket," he added. |
| Mr Staines has refused to reveal how the messages found their way to him, despite complaints from Mr Draper that they were private. | Mr Staines has refused to reveal how the messages found their way to him, despite complaints from Mr Draper that they were private. |
| Mr McBride described the first claim as a ''solid investigative story'', but the other three as ''mainly gossipy, and intended to destabilise the Tories". | Mr McBride described the first claim as a ''solid investigative story'', but the other three as ''mainly gossipy, and intended to destabilise the Tories". |
| He added: ''Let's think about how to sequence these in with others'' - a suggestion that a longer-term plan to place stories was being hatched. | He added: ''Let's think about how to sequence these in with others'' - a suggestion that a longer-term plan to place stories was being hatched. |
| Claims were also made against the Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries, who says she is consulting lawyers and wants a personal apology from the Prime Minister. | Claims were also made against the Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries, who says she is consulting lawyers and wants a personal apology from the Prime Minister. |
| Mr Draper has apologised to those mentioned in the e-mails and admitted "we should never really have considered the idea and I am sorry we did". | Mr Draper has apologised to those mentioned in the e-mails and admitted "we should never really have considered the idea and I am sorry we did". |
| "All I can do is absolutely promise that these stories were just daft ideas that never - and would never have - got off the drawing board," he wrote on his blog. | "All I can do is absolutely promise that these stories were just daft ideas that never - and would never have - got off the drawing board," he wrote on his blog. |
| He called on fellow bloggers to "commit to a new start" by avoiding personal attacks. | He called on fellow bloggers to "commit to a new start" by avoiding personal attacks. |
| Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former spin doctor, wrote in his blog that he had been struck not just by the "unpleasantness" of the emails, but also by their "incompetence". | Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former spin doctor, wrote in his blog that he had been struck not just by the "unpleasantness" of the emails, but also by their "incompetence". |
| "McBride will be thinking that was his big mistake - writing it all down. His really big mistake was thinking it might be effective," Mr Campbell added. | "McBride will be thinking that was his big mistake - writing it all down. His really big mistake was thinking it might be effective," Mr Campbell added. |