13 April 2009 Blog Home : April 2009 : Permalink
"Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself."
An honourable politician would not, it seems to me, tolerate someone who span these kinds of stories and would removed him years ago. One that was dishonourable and had no worry about his reputation would still employ him today, he might even give him a payrise. But one who was dishonourable but yet worried about his reputation would act precisely as Gordon Brown has done - deny all knowledge and act as though this was a sudden aberration.Damian McBride – also known as McPoison – reports directly to the Prime Minister, no one else. He takes his instruction from the Prime Minister and works within the Prime Minister's private office in the heart of 10 Downing Street.
Are we really expected to believe that the Prime Minister knew nothing of this?
As our country's economic standing worsens day by day, and it becomes nigh-impossible for the Labour Party to make itself re-electable, the desperate tactic appears to be to diminish the standing of the Conservatives and make Labour the least unattractive option. Is this how a "son of the manse" runs his office, his staff and the country?
McBride has claimed the scalps of more Labour MPs and ministers than he has Conservative frontbenchers. He is almost universally disliked in the Labour Party. His resignation does not close down the story because McBride and the PM were as one. The Government was spinning desperately yesterday, attempting to distance the PM from McBride. That just isn't doable: they have been glued at the hip since their early days at the Treasury.
And don't let us forget this bit of classic spin:“It is the Prime Minister’s view that there is no place in politics for the dissemination or publication of material of this kind, which is why it is right that Mr McBride and Mr Draper took the decision not to publish this material and regrettable that others are choosing to do so.”
Mr McBride added: “I have already apologised for the inappropriate and juvenile content of my e-mails, and the offence they have caused, but I did not want these stories in the public domain – it is because Paul Staines has put them there, and I am sickened that he has done so.
“However, we all know that when a backroom adviser becomes the story, their position becomes untenable, so I have willingly offered my resignation.”
The slanders were not juvenile they were the calculated work of an adult and contrary to his claims, at one point at least, McBride certainly did want their content in the public domain. What he actually means is he didn't want their content traced back to him.