Byers offers some sensible advice

The piece by Steve Byers on the McBride affair in today’s Evening Standard is essential reading. First, Byers allows himself to gloat publicly upon the fall of “Mad Dog” – “I made little effort to suppress a smile when I heard about his enforced departure from Downing Street”. This is a huge part of the problem for the PM. So many senior Labour figures have fallen victim to the Brown attack machine over the years that there are few tears around Westminster, and a fair amount of schadenfreude. It is no accident that Charles Clarke, so often on the receiving end of Brownite briefing (and, to be fair, an open opponent of Gordon), was the first to break cover on Saturday and urge McBride’s departure.

Second, Byers quite rightly urges his colleagues to focus on Conservative ideas and policies in the general election campaign, rather than resort to exotic personal smears.