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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Brown 'sorry' over e-mail slurs | Brown 'sorry' over e-mail slurs |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised over e-mails sent by his former aide Damian McBride. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised over e-mails sent by his former aide Damian McBride. |
| Speaking on a visit Glasgow, Mr Brown said he was "sorry about what happened" and took "full responsibility". | Speaking on a visit Glasgow, Mr Brown said he was "sorry about what happened" and took "full responsibility". |
| Mr McBride resigned after making unfounded personal smears about senior Conservatives in e-mails sent to former Labour Party adviser Derek Draper. | Mr McBride resigned after making unfounded personal smears about senior Conservatives in e-mails sent to former Labour Party adviser Derek Draper. |
| His actions were a "clear and serious breach" of Whitehall rules, the head of the civil service has said. | |
| Mr Brown has sent handwritten letters to the politicians smeared in the e-mails, expressing his regret for what had happened and telling them that the rules for political special advisers would be toughened up. | Mr Brown has sent handwritten letters to the politicians smeared in the e-mails, expressing his regret for what had happened and telling them that the rules for political special advisers would be toughened up. |
| 'Very angry' | |
| But the move failed to quell the anger among senior Conservatives, who called for a "change of culture" at the top of government. | But the move failed to quell the anger among senior Conservatives, who called for a "change of culture" at the top of government. |
| Making a fresh attempt to close down the row, Mr Brown said: "I take full responsibility for what happened. That's why the person who was responsible went immediately." | Making a fresh attempt to close down the row, Mr Brown said: "I take full responsibility for what happened. That's why the person who was responsible went immediately." |
| Speaking on a visit to the Govan shipyard, he said: "I have said all along that, when I saw this first, I was horrified, I was shocked and I was very angry indeed. | Speaking on a visit to the Govan shipyard, he said: "I have said all along that, when I saw this first, I was horrified, I was shocked and I was very angry indeed. |
| "I think the most important thing we do is reassure people everything is being done to clean up politics in our country. | "I think the most important thing we do is reassure people everything is being done to clean up politics in our country. |
| "I wrote to the people who were affected by it and expressed very deep regret for what happened." | "I wrote to the people who were affected by it and expressed very deep regret for what happened." |
| Mr Brown is in Glasgow for a special meeting of the cabinet which focused on the economy. | |
| He said: "We have now got to get on with the job of creating opportunities for people and apprenticeships, creating new work and, of course, getting a budget for jobs." | He said: "We have now got to get on with the job of creating opportunities for people and apprenticeships, creating new work and, of course, getting a budget for jobs." |
| The e-mails at the centre of the row contained allegations about Tory leader David Cameron, shadow chancellor George Osborne and others which, it was suggested, could be published on a planned Labour-backed gossip website called Red Rag, which was never launched. | |
| Mr Draper has said he "deeply" regrets responding to Mr McBride's e-mail and was considering resigning from his role running LabourList, a Labour-supporting website. | Mr Draper has said he "deeply" regrets responding to Mr McBride's e-mail and was considering resigning from his role running LabourList, a Labour-supporting website. |
| 'Blog council' | |
| On Wednesday, in an e-mail to members of Labour's National Executive Committee, the party's general secretary, Ray Collins, said Mr Draper - who had offered "advice and opinion on an ad hoc basis" - would not be asked for either again. | On Wednesday, in an e-mail to members of Labour's National Executive Committee, the party's general secretary, Ray Collins, said Mr Draper - who had offered "advice and opinion on an ad hoc basis" - would not be asked for either again. |
| The Conservatives have questioned the role in the affair of Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson, who has who has issued a statement through lawyers saying he had "no involvement in or knowledge of" proposals to set up Red Rag. | |
| And the Scottish National Party has said International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander also faces questions about whether he knew of the plan, pointing to a 2008 article in PR Week magazine suggesting Mr Alexander was a key player in the Labour's "blog council" and had attended a meeting chaired by Mr Draper. | |
| SNP Scotland Office spokesman Angus McNeil said: "It seems Derek Draper's poisonous blogging plans were not only discussed with Downing Street advisors, but at least one minister as well. | |
| "Douglas Alexander has serious questions to answer on his role in this scandal." |