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| Slur MP condemns No 10 'cesspit' | Slur MP condemns No 10 'cesspit' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Number 10 Downing Street is a "cesspit" where staff act according to the values of Gordon Brown, one of the Tory e-mail smear victims has claimed. | Number 10 Downing Street is a "cesspit" where staff act according to the values of Gordon Brown, one of the Tory e-mail smear victims has claimed. |
| Backbencher Nadine Dorries said she resented suggestions people would now tar politicians with "the same brush" as disgraced adviser Damian McBride. | Backbencher Nadine Dorries said she resented suggestions people would now tar politicians with "the same brush" as disgraced adviser Damian McBride. |
| Mr McBride quit his Downing Street post after making unfounded e-mail allegations about senior Conservatives. | Mr McBride quit his Downing Street post after making unfounded e-mail allegations about senior Conservatives. |
| Ministers have defended Mr Brown's response, saying he has "taken action". | Ministers have defended Mr Brown's response, saying he has "taken action". |
| Mr McBride stood down on Saturday, after it was revealed he had sent e-mails in January to former government spin doctor Derek Draper. | Mr McBride stood down on Saturday, after it was revealed he had sent e-mails in January to former government spin doctor Derek Draper. |
| They contained allegations about Tory leader David Cameron, shadow chancellor George Osborne and Ms Dorries, among others. | They contained allegations about Tory leader David Cameron, shadow chancellor George Osborne and Ms Dorries, among others. |
| If he had written a letter, spelled my name right and said sorry, then this would all have gone away and the story would have dropped off the radar Nadine DorriesTory backbencher | If he had written a letter, spelled my name right and said sorry, then this would all have gone away and the story would have dropped off the radar Nadine DorriesTory backbencher |
| It was suggested the smears be published on a proposed Labour-backing, gossip-led website called Red Rag. The idea was later abandoned. | It was suggested the smears be published on a proposed Labour-backing, gossip-led website called Red Rag. The idea was later abandoned. |
| Mr Brown has written to those mentioned in the e-mails, expressing his "deep regret" and insisting no ministers had been involved. | Mr Brown has written to those mentioned in the e-mails, expressing his "deep regret" and insisting no ministers had been involved. |
| But the Conservatives have continued to question whether this was the case and, in particular, whether Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson knew about plans to set up Red Rag. | But the Conservatives have continued to question whether this was the case and, in particular, whether Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson knew about plans to set up Red Rag. |
| 'Thrown to wolves' | 'Thrown to wolves' |
| Ms Dorries said she was particularly offended by the way the prime minister had expressed in his letter a "great regret" that "our" politics had been affected. | |
| "It is the cesspit of 10 Downing Street and to say that we are all tarred with the same brush as Damian McBride is unacceptable," said the MP for Mid Bedfordshire. | "It is the cesspit of 10 Downing Street and to say that we are all tarred with the same brush as Damian McBride is unacceptable," said the MP for Mid Bedfordshire. |
| Mr McBride resigned on Saturday over the e-mails | Mr McBride resigned on Saturday over the e-mails |
| "It is the culture of 10 Downing Street. Downing Street was operating according to the values of the prime minister." | "It is the culture of 10 Downing Street. Downing Street was operating according to the values of the prime minister." |
| She argued it was "not enough to throw staff to the wolves" because they "were espousing his [Mr Brown's] values". | She argued it was "not enough to throw staff to the wolves" because they "were espousing his [Mr Brown's] values". |
| Ms Dorries went on to say the prime minister's response to the scandal brought into question his judgement on other issues. | Ms Dorries went on to say the prime minister's response to the scandal brought into question his judgement on other issues. |
| "If he had written a letter, spelled my name right and said sorry, then this would all have gone away and the story would have dropped off the radar," she said. | "If he had written a letter, spelled my name right and said sorry, then this would all have gone away and the story would have dropped off the radar," she said. |
| "But the PM has misjudged this so badly, so with things like the war Afghanistan, the war in Iraq - how are they being judged?" | "But the PM has misjudged this so badly, so with things like the war Afghanistan, the war in Iraq - how are they being judged?" |
| 'Deep regret' | 'Deep regret' |
| Ms Dorries' comments came as former spin doctor Mr Draper told the Guardian he was considering resigning from his role running LabourList, a Labour-supporting website. | Ms Dorries' comments came as former spin doctor Mr Draper told the Guardian he was considering resigning from his role running LabourList, a Labour-supporting website. |
| "I know there are people saying I should go - but I think LabourList is a good idea and I hope to leave it a week before deciding whether to try to soldier on, which is what I think at the moment," he told the paper. | "I know there are people saying I should go - but I think LabourList is a good idea and I hope to leave it a week before deciding whether to try to soldier on, which is what I think at the moment," he told the paper. |
| Mr Draper said he "deeply regretted" responding to Mr McBride's e-mail. | Mr Draper said he "deeply regretted" responding to Mr McBride's e-mail. |
| The government has defended its response to the revelations, saying people felt a "huge amount of frustration" over the fact that the controversy was diverting attention from efforts to deal with problems facing the country. | The government has defended its response to the revelations, saying people felt a "huge amount of frustration" over the fact that the controversy was diverting attention from efforts to deal with problems facing the country. |
| As well as writing to those named in the e-mails, Mr Brown sent a letter to Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, saying he was ready to take "whatever action is required" to prevent a repeat of the incident. | As well as writing to those named in the e-mails, Mr Brown sent a letter to Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, saying he was ready to take "whatever action is required" to prevent a repeat of the incident. |
| He called for anyone caught "disseminating inappropriate material" to lose their jobs automatically, and suggested special advisers should not be allowed to use official resources for party political purposes. | He called for anyone caught "disseminating inappropriate material" to lose their jobs automatically, and suggested special advisers should not be allowed to use official resources for party political purposes. |