Baron Mandelson - neither noble nor honourable.

"Get your retaliation in first," a quote from a British Lions rugby tour to New Zealand, has been taken to heart by Baron Mandy. He has won the race to get out his version of the end of New Labour. We await with little interest the 'Tome from Tone' giving his sanctified view of events. Then there is wee Gordie, reported to be scribbling furiously to give the authoritative view of how he saved the world. 

Having been pleasantly surprised that their election defeat was not a lot worse, there has been a period of calm in the Labour party. All that is about to change as the principal players hit the booksellers. 

Very little that has emerged this week is a revelation. As this blog reported in February, in a piece entitled, 'Bullying Brown' much was known about the problems at the heart of government. 

"Only when Brown became PM did the stories emerge of his temper, his rages, and his penchant for throwing objects around. Labour MPs who supported his coronation and derided those who opposed him have a lot to answer for. They knew. They suppressed the knowledge until it was too late. They colluded with madness."

"They also sent a message to every tin pot office tyrant and chief exec that swearing and shouting at junior staff is acceptable. For that alone they should hang their heads in shame."

"They were aware of the depth and bitterness of the feud between number 10 and number 11 Downing Street. They must have known that it can only have done harm to the country. Still they did nothing." 

The piece concluded, "The Labour Party went through colossal soul-searching in the aftermath of their ’79 defeat. That will be as nothing compared to what is likely to come next." 

Mandelson has lit the fuse. Vast swathes of the populace will regard the fuss as irrelevant and of little consequence. Many Labour members and supporters will have a different view. Many Labour MPs will carry a burden of guilt that they colluded with the collective madness. Others will be saddened by the many wasted opportunities.  

Then there are those of us who care deeply about the way our democracy works, the sort of values we hold dear, and the way we get through this financial crisis, in part created by small men with giant egos sucking up to avaricious city leeches.