Round-up: Local Bloggers Respond To Labour's 'Dirty Tricks Campaign'

Local Bloggers have responded strongly to news that a close aide to Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigned after details emerged on a popular blog that he was working within Downing Street to smear his opponents.

Neville Hobson describes the affair as "the tipping point for UK political blogs" as he introduces the essential facts. He says "the knives are out everywhere looking for a puppetmaster".

Niall Paterson explains that conspiring to commit an offense is itself an offense and notes the change to the Code of Conduct for governmental special advisors which now makes such behaviour grounds for instant dismissal.

Wokingham MP John Redwood angrily points out that this is empty rhetoric on the part of the PM and suggests Mr McBride should have been sacked anyway as it was a breach of existing codes.

He then spreads the blame for the smear campaign by describing how it is part of a pattern of behaviour within Labour ranks - one which high-ranking ministers are culpable of, when they should really be doing their jobs. He also slams the waste of time spent "misquoting and spreading false accounts".

Mark Reckons fisks the apology by Labour spin-doctor Derek Draper (who was the involved in the email exchange) and calls for Labour to sack him too.

Mark follows up with a reminder that similar sorts of spin operation have been ongoing within New Labour since before they came to power and many other people who have experienced similar things will now be coming forward with their stories.

Sky News' Adam Boulton does exactly that as he brings his own first-hand knowledge of Damian McBride to bear in his neat summary of the affair. He explains that Labours attempt to embarrass the person who leaked the emails was foolish as these kinds of details are - and will remain - the staple of good journalism.

Meanwhile the ever-scabrous Gideon Mack provides a wicked satire.

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Update: Local Labour attack dog Andrew Peacock uses his dog-whistle to speculate about potential policies of a Conservative government.