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Labour conference: Damian McBride defends memoirs Labour conference: Damian McBride defends memoirs
(35 minutes later)
Gordon Brown's former spin doctor has said he is "sorry and ashamed" about those affected by his actions, as he defended writing about his attacks on the ex-PM's opponents.Gordon Brown's former spin doctor has said he is "sorry and ashamed" about those affected by his actions, as he defended writing about his attacks on the ex-PM's opponents.
Damian McBride told BBC Two's Newsnight that many in the Labour Party regarded him as a "traitor" for serialising his memoirs during its annual conference.Damian McBride told BBC Two's Newsnight that many in the Labour Party regarded him as a "traitor" for serialising his memoirs during its annual conference.
But he added Labour must "learn lessons from his mistakes".But he added Labour must "learn lessons from his mistakes".
He said the party needed to move on from "destructive" feuds of the past.He said the party needed to move on from "destructive" feuds of the past.
Mr McBride has admitted leaking details about the personal lives of Labour ministers seen as a threat to Gordon Brown's ambitions to replace Tony Blair as prime minister after the 2005 election.Mr McBride has admitted leaking details about the personal lives of Labour ministers seen as a threat to Gordon Brown's ambitions to replace Tony Blair as prime minister after the 2005 election.
The revelations, published in the Daily Mail, have caused anger among senior Labour figures past and present and provided a reminder of the bitter divisions during the Blair-Brown years.The revelations, published in the Daily Mail, have caused anger among senior Labour figures past and present and provided a reminder of the bitter divisions during the Blair-Brown years.
Interviewed live on Newsnight, Mr McBride said: "I do feel ashamed, I do feel sorry to those individuals whose careers I affected and even more so to the sort of innocent bystanders who were caught in the way."Interviewed live on Newsnight, Mr McBride said: "I do feel ashamed, I do feel sorry to those individuals whose careers I affected and even more so to the sort of innocent bystanders who were caught in the way."
He said Mr Brown did not know about the "intricacies" of his actions or "understand" how he operated, and current leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls "knew even less than Gordon". In his book he suggests Mr Brown had been aware of his methods and gave his unspoken approval.
'Sobering reminder' 'Exorcise demons'
In his first broadcast comments since the serialisation began, Mr McBride used a recorded interview with the programme to defend its timing, suggesting such books "always come out at conference season" and it would have done more damage if it had been published closer to the next election. But he told Newsnight Mr Brown did not know about the "intricacies" of his actions or "understand" how he operated, and current leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls "knew even less than Gordon".
"In opposition, any sense of disunity or disagreement between Miliband and Balls - any repeat of the Blair-Brown feud - would be fatal to Labour's election chances," he said. "I don't think he (Brown) knew what I was doing a lot of the time," Mr McBride said. "I operated quite a lot in the shadows."
"If anything, I hope my book will act as a sobering reminder of those risks." In his first broadcast comments since the serialisation began, Mr McBride also used a recorded section with the programme to defend its timing, suggesting such books "always come out at conference season" and it would have done more damage if it had been published closer to the next election.
Mr McBride acknowledged his part in the "hugely destructive" infighting that scarred Labour's 13 years in office, particularly during Mr Blair's last years in No 10. He added: "I know many people in the Labour movement think I'm a traitor for publishing a book lifting the lid on some of [the Blair-Brown] feuding, especially at party conference.
He added: "I know many people in the Labour movement think I'm a traitor for publishing a book lifting the lid on some of that feuding, especially at party conference.
"But I believe if Labour's going to avoid repeating its mistakes, it's got to learn from its past, exorcise its demons, and make sure that when it says those days are over, it means it.""But I believe if Labour's going to avoid repeating its mistakes, it's got to learn from its past, exorcise its demons, and make sure that when it says those days are over, it means it."
He added that Mr Miliband and Mr Balls "know enough about the past to avoid repeating its mistakes".
Interviewed later on Newsnight in front of Labour activists, Mr McBride said he agreed with Mr Balls, who has said his actions were "despicable".Interviewed later on Newsnight in front of Labour activists, Mr McBride said he agreed with Mr Balls, who has said his actions were "despicable".
Describing himself as "still a Labour supporter", Mr McBride said "there's no good time to publish a book like this".Describing himself as "still a Labour supporter", Mr McBride said "there's no good time to publish a book like this".
But he added that he had been offered a "much more lucrative contract" than the £100,000-plus he received from the Daily Mail to publish the memoirs just ahead of the 2015 general election.But he added that he had been offered a "much more lucrative contract" than the £100,000-plus he received from the Daily Mail to publish the memoirs just ahead of the 2015 general election.
Dismissing an audience member's suggestion he should donate his fee to the Labour Party, he said he had left his job with nothing and built up debts which the money from the book would help to pay off. He said he had left his job with nothing and built up debts which the money from the book would help to pay off.
The book's revelations include claims that Mr McBride:The book's revelations include claims that Mr McBride:
He suggests that Mr Brown was aware of his methods and had given his unspoken approval.
'Unconscionable''Unconscionable'
Mr McBride has also attempted to implicate Mr Miliband in the spin culture that prevailed in parts of the Labour government, suggesting he might "have problems" if email exchanges between Mr Miliband and spin doctor Derek Draper came to light.Mr McBride has also attempted to implicate Mr Miliband in the spin culture that prevailed in parts of the Labour government, suggesting he might "have problems" if email exchanges between Mr Miliband and spin doctor Derek Draper came to light.
Mr Miliband has insisted that although he knew negative briefings were going on, he did not approve of them and had urged Mr Brown to get rid of his aide.Mr Miliband has insisted that although he knew negative briefings were going on, he did not approve of them and had urged Mr Brown to get rid of his aide.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Balls - a close ally of Mr Brown when he was chancellor and prime minister - said "many people", including himself, were unaware of what Mr McBride had been up to. Speaking on Monday, Mr Balls - a close ally of Mr Brown when he was chancellor and prime minister - said "many people", including himself, had been unaware of what Mr McBride was up to.
"What Damian McBride did was wrong and, to be honest, unconscionable," he told BBC News."What Damian McBride did was wrong and, to be honest, unconscionable," he told BBC News.
"I have never seen people behave in this way - personal, nasty, smeary, made-up stories. I think it is hideous and people are shocked by it.""I have never seen people behave in this way - personal, nasty, smeary, made-up stories. I think it is hideous and people are shocked by it."
He suggested journalists, as well as politicians, needed to "break out of the off-the-record, source-based smear culture and all of us have to say that has to change in the future". Meanwhile, Conservative MP Alun Cairns has called for the police to investigate whether Mr McBride may have broken the Official Secrets Act and the Computer Misuse Act after Mr McBride admitted in his book that he had accessed Gordon Brown's email account without authorisation.
He said he did not think the former prime minister knew about his actions, and neither did Ed Miliband and Ed Balls. Mr McBride told Newsnight he "would not leak classified comments and I would take pains to avoid doing that... I'd be happy to talk to police if they wanted an explanation of this".
"I don't think he (Brown) knew what I was doing a lot of the time," said Mr McBride. "I operated quite a lot in the shadows."
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Alun Cairns has called for the police to investigate whether Mr McBride may have broken the Official Secrets Act and the Computer Misuse Act.
Mr Cairns has written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe after Mr McBride admitted in his book that he accessed Gordon Brown's email account without authorisation.
Mr McBride told Newsnight he was "sure because I was always very careful about this during the years that I wasn't committing any criminal offences... I would not leak classified comments and I would take pains to avoid doing that... I'd be happy to talk to police if they wanted an explanation of this."
Another Tory MP, Henry Smith, demanded that Mr McBride be stripped of his civil service pension if he was found to have breached the civil service code and the special advisers' code of conduct.Another Tory MP, Henry Smith, demanded that Mr McBride be stripped of his civil service pension if he was found to have breached the civil service code and the special advisers' code of conduct.
The full interview with Damian McBride will be broadcast on BBC Two's Newsnight at 22:30 BST.The full interview with Damian McBride will be broadcast on BBC Two's Newsnight at 22:30 BST.