The revelations in the Telegraph may be the Jack Straw that breaks the camels back. As Gordon 'son of a preacher man' Brown is included in the list of expenses claims - New Labour's true dodgy dossier - how much longer can he survive?

What is the point of this administration?

However, the Tories have the strangest claim: Two packs of Tampax at £1.11 each, claimed by a Conservative MP who lost his seat in 2005. His seat? His? What on earth was he using them for?

Once again Martin Bell nails it: Where's the remorse?

Mandy isn't showing any remorse

Finally Derek Draper has his fingernails torn from the Labour List site and he's carried away kicking and screaming like a petulant child who still seems to find it hard to understand why people have turned against him.

His successor, in true New Labour form doesn't waste a second in sticking the knife into Draper's political corpse. His call makes a lot of sense, and if it's not spin and he can actually practice what he preaches we'll applaud him. The one comment we would make is his claim that they're "passionate about a political party and its values".

What values would these be? How are they made visible?

Neil Kinnock drags out the bogeyman in a desperate attempt to support Brown and smear his rivals:

Back Gordon Brown or boost BNP, Neil Kinnock warns MPs

Oh right, if you're against Brown, you're a BNP supporter, are you?

The delusions continue as Harman says she's prepared to fight for the leadership, even against a 'unity' candidate.

Finally the number that really matters; Number of Cabinet Ministers coming to Brown's defence = 2

Charles Clarke admits he's ashamed to be a Labour MP.

Charlie, we're all ashamed you're a Labour MP. For some time now.

More line up:

Mr Marshall-Andrews said: “We are inevitably going to lose the next general election. It is quite inevitable.”

Mr Livingstone added: “All the party are united, he’s doomed.”

Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, has given evidence to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. It was something he had been struggling to do so actually being able to sit in front of a Parliamentary committee and demonstrate that the UK government regularly received intelligence obtained by torture was something of an achievement. Craig Murray was sacked from his job as a UK ambassador for raising the alarm about our government's complicity with torture. He has been smeared by New Labour and attempts have been made to censor his writing.

Mr Murray's appearance before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights is now available to watch on YouTube.

Behind the scenes Labour is at war. With itself. Electoral disaster is facing them, in the European elections - expect the Tories to have enough members to pull out of the EPP group with ease - and the council elections. The last elections were very bad for Labour and if they do even wose than last time, Brown's card will be truly marked.

So what are Labour thinking? Well it seems that Brown is dead in the water, unlikely lead the party in the next election, his economic record is in the bin and the McBride ripped apart his dour morality and the budget went down badly. Especially as Cameron was devastating in response to it, looking a little reminiscent of Mr Blair, some thought.

As things stand, I pedict Brown will stand down around the Party conference, possibly being offered something at the IMF or World Bank as a face-saver.

Who's up for the job? Take a look at who does the media rounds each time there's a new blow, such as this story, about Blair opposing the 50% tax band.

Tony's clearly approved people to speak on his behalf, a signal to his followers. Notice Charles Clarke, once more, putting his oar in. Mandelson laying down the law, and the unnamed sources, I wouldn't be suprised if they included Johnson and Straw.

Thr Brownies raise the spectre of Harman. Let's be frank, when your defence of your boss is trying to scare people with the prospect of Harman PM, you're running out of cards to play.

But to win the election, it will take a different leader. I'd put money on Milliband or Johnson. And a side bet on Blair as European President after an Irish yes to Lisbon in October.

Absolutely nothing.

It is running beneath people's radar but there is a real chance that Tony will be the first President of Europe, once the Lisbon Treaty is ratified. So far he's got the support of the UK, France, Italy and Germany.

Do we want a European President who still believes in the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive engagement?

It's getting hard to keep up with the torrent of sleaze, corruption, authoritarianism, abuse of power and mismanagement coming from a governing party in its death throes. The resignation of former Halifax Labour MP Alice Mahon from the party sums up the disillusionment and sense of betrayal felt by those who didn't sign up for the 'New Labour' agenda. 

Check out her interview with the BBC.

From Popbitch

 Labour's smear scandal and the President

   The News of the World landed the McBride-   Draper Tory smear email story so it was weird to  see on Sunday they didn't run with it on the front page. Instead the tabloid had a bizarre headline, "Obama's brother in sex quiz", which sounds like something Jacqui Smith's  husband would watch on TV, but was in reality a random story about Obama's half-brother being refused a visa to enter Britain.

Even more weirdly, the story was not written by a NOTW journalist but bylined Gloria De Piero, GMTV's Political Editor. De Piero is a close friend of Derek Draper, a colleague of his wife Kate Garraway, and an ex-flatmate of Damien McBride's then-boss Tom Watson.

So, surely a coincidence that this was the front page story? Otherwise I guess we'd have to assume that the uncalled for and unnecessary smearing of the family and reputation of the world's most popular politician is acceptable to the Labour Party now?

There's one simple way to see who is involved in The Red Rag. It's a Wordpress blog so go to the login page, then lost password and you'll get to a page that asks for a username or email Enter an email. If the  email belongs to someone registered on the site, it will tell you that that an email reminder has been sent. If the email is not registered to someone involved, you'll get a message telling you the email hasn't been recognised.

Drapers email is, of course, recognised. Please feel free to let us know of any other email addresses that also work.

Is Labour becoming the party that ate itself? It's going beyond parody when we get hilarious headlines like this:

Gordon Brown warned by Blairites over No 10 smears

Now remind me, who was it who briefed that Gordon Brown was 'psychologically flawed'...

As the spinning story continues, Frank Field gets to the crux of the matter:

Harold Wilson asserted that the Labour party was a moral crusade or it was nothing. The McBride affair has left Labour members looking at nothing. That is the reality check that McBride has wrought on the party.

Exactly. What is the Labour Party for? What are its achievements after so long in office? Inequality is worse than ever, child poverty increases, the economy is wrecked and the party drifts ever rightwards, even into BNP territory, "British jobs for British workers".

The party members are trying to get out of this mess by sticking their fingers in their ears and shouting la la la as loudly as they can.

I've often compared Labour members to battered wives, hoping to change their loved one's behaviour, always making excuses for them and harking back to the good old days that never existed.

A classic example of this is Why the party isn't over by Emma Burnell. Starting off by saying she isn't ashamed. Well what would make her ashamed, one wonders. Then she trots out the old line of disagreeing with pretty much everything the party is and does, then confesses to being an obedient doormat.

Why is Labour the immoral shambles that it is? It's because of members like Emma. It's not just that they are the ones making apologies for the party, the members who have been crapped on by their party for so long, who meekly continue to accept their lot and keep this creaking anachronism going.

Change from within has been the motto of the rank and file of the party for a hundred years. They've not exactly made much change from within have they?

And if that isn't insulting enough, these party members pay, actually pay cash to belong to this shambles. This is where my battered wife metaphor fails, for even victims of domestic violence don't pay to be beaten.

As long as Labour has people like Emma it will carry on just as it has always done. There is a term for the Emmas of the party; useful idiots.

Reply recieved, see end
Comment on reply added
Notice of investigation added

Below is an email, sent to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy about one of their members, Mr Derek Draper.

I am a journalist researching an article on Derek Draper, a member of your society, and ethical behaviour.

As you are no doubt aware, he was soliciting scurrilous stories about leading Conservatives. He was sent some by Damian McBride, including this suggestion that George Osbourne's wife was "emotionally fragile" and that David Cameron suffered from an embarrassing medical condition - a sexually transmitted disease.

He responded to these unfounded stories by saying "These are absolutely totally brilliant, Damian. I'll think about timing."

Having downloaded and read your Ethical Framework, I think that it is safe to say that Mr Draper has seriously breached it in all key regards. The sight of a member of your organisation cheerily planning to publically spread untruths about Mrs Osbourne's mental health for political gain is something many find distasteful.

Do you feel that your standards have been breached, in letter or spirit? If so, are you planning to take any action?

Here's the reply:

I can confirm that BACP has received a number of queries regarding Derek Draper to which we are responding.  Any complaints received will be treated seriously and processed according to our Professional Conduct Procedures.

Kind Regards

Alison

Alison Croft
Press & Public Relations Manager
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Comment - added 15.4.09

I think that is as complete a reply as can be expected. Now, lets take a look at the BACP Professional Conduct Procedures.

All members are bound to abide by the guidelines set out in the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. The Association relies on members of the public as well as members of BACP bringing matters of poor and unethical practice to its attention...

What we need is this:
Article 4.6 is a separate procedure to that of the Professional Conduct Procedure. It is a discretionary procedure reserved for very serious allegations and requires a higher burden of proof than the Professional Conduct Procedure; with the only sanction available being termination of membership if a complaint is upheld.

I think there's enough proof out there. Hopefully, Derek will soon be appearing on this page

Notice of Investigation - added 16.4.09

From Psychologies Magazine:

“Derek’s position is being investigated independently by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists to reveal if he really is guilty of the allegations made about him, what the background and details of the story are, and how all of this affects his standing as a therapist.”

There's been mutterings around Brussels for some time and some of the most informed people are putting their money on this happening.

Blair steps up fight to be crowned first 'President of EU'

Hugh Miles writes about the jostling for position to be the next King.