NOTHING mitigates the stench which remains in Downing Street in spite of the departure of Damian McBride. But as an aside to the main act it is worthwhile noting that at least one of the smears McPoison and his greasy ally Derek Draper were playing with had a foundation in truth. It was, in fact, a Tory smear aimed at destabilising David Cameron’s bid for the leadership. Back then the News of the World was provided with compromising pictures of Shadow Chancellor George Osborne when he was a student, allegedly in the company of a prostitute and cocaine. Mr Osborne was then Mr Cameron’s campaign manager and the pictures were obligingly published by the paper’s then editor Andy Coulson. Funny old world, though. Mr Coulson is now the Conservative leader’s press guru, presumably getting ready a fresh batch of Tory dirty tricks for the next election.
