by Chris McLaughlin
and René Lavanchy
Downing Street is braced for further embarrassment over dirty trick emails which it fears could be in the public domain.
As the Labour Party sought to limit the damage by distancing itself from internet adviser Derek Draper, Number 10 insiders revealed that there are more unpublished emails in the ether.
“The question is whether somebody has got them or not”, said one.
Advisers insist Gordon Brown was not aware of the content of the Red Rag site which was created by Mr Draper, the recipient of what he called “brilliant” sordid and scurrilous emails from Downing Street special adviser Damian McBride.
But ministers and MPs are private questioning Mr Brown’s judgement in appointing and protecting Mr McBride, whose pugilistic approach to dealing with Government critics has been widely condemned.
Ray Collins, Labour’s general secretary, insisted this week that the party no longer had any connection to Mr Draper – although previously it hosted him and his LabourList website at a series of “bloggers’ breakfasts” at party headquarters.
In an email to members of Labour’s National Executive Committee, he wrote: “Derek Draper… left Victoria Street to set up the LabourList blog. Since then he has offered advice and opinion on an ad hoc basis which ended in March of this year and will not be sought in the future.
“I want to reiterate that Derek Draper does not hold a position or role with the Labour Party and this will remain the case.”
The statement leaves Labour’s online campaigning strategy uncertain, as it is unclear whether ministers such as Peter Mandelson, Harriet Harman and Brown ally Ed Balls will continue writing for LabourList while Mr Draper remains editor. Mr Draper said he was considering his position as Tribune went to press.
Mr Brown is said to be anxious to get back to serious politics, ground on which he believes the Tories are more vulnerable than their lead in the polls suggests. But questions are still being asked this week about the involvement of other figures close to the Prime Minister.
Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson this week released a statement through lawyers denying both being aware of the emails before their publication, and being involved in Red Rag.
Meanwhile, the union Unite, which is committed to help Labour’s online campaigning, has also distanced itself from the salacious contents of the leaked e-mails.
Unite’s political director Charlie Whelan, a close confidant of Mr Brown, and political officer Andrew Dodgshon were both copied in on the messages. But it appears that only Mr Draper expressed interest in publishing the rumours.
