I’d guess that, round about now (6.00 p.m.), the editors of one or more Sunday newspapers are making the toughest decisions of their careers.
They are in possession of copies of the notorious e-mails sent by the now-disgraced special adviser, Damian McBride – the man who, in the words of former Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, has “brought shame on the Labour party”.
What we know of those e-mails is that:
- they contain allegations against senior Conservatives that are, according to Paul Staines, “obscene”;
- they were, it is suggested by the Telegraph, obtained by hacking into the No 10 computer system;
- they were, even according to LabourList’s Derek Draper, “a bit juvenile and inappropriate and some were in bad taste”;
- their veracity must consequently be very much in doubt;
- their contents have been flatly and angrily denied by at least one MP, whose is consulting solicitors.
Given all the above, those editors have to decide whether, notwithstanding the dubious provenance of the e-mails and the strident denials of their veracity, they should go ahead and publish them. If they do, it will be a singularly brave decision. I have no doubt that, if the allegations are shown to be untrue, those defamed will seek to obtain not only damages, but punitive damages of a huge order.
This episode reflects nothing but discredit on the Labour party; as I write, Stephen Pound MP is on Sky News, trying, ludicrously enough, to defend the party’s position and calling Guido “one of the lice on the body politic”.
He would have been wiser to stay safely at home in Ealing.
