Who else may be involved?

We know Damian McBride and Derek Draper were involved in the Red Rag putative smear campaign, but who else? I believe I have read that Charlie Whelan (Gordon Brown's former spinner-in-chief) may have been linked as may have been Tom Watson (Minister for Digital Engagement and Civil Service Issues) who recently listed as one of his "25 books I’ve read in the last two years that have influenced, interested or amused" this one:

"15. Mudslingers: The Twenty-five Dirtiest Political Campaigns of All Time, Kerwin Swint
These campaigns make Liberal Democrats look like angels."

Who else might have known of the plan? Another former chief spinner maybe; how about Peter Mandelson or Alastair Campbell, both masters of the dirty trick? It is possible that one or both may have been involved, maybe the BBC could ask them some straight questions the next time one of these "gentlemen" infest a BBC studio or radio-car.

More intriguingly, does anyone really believe that such an attack on the Conservative leadership would have been authorised without the knowledge of the Prime Minister? I doubt that any paper or electronic trails to our beleaguered Prime Minister exist as his underlings would not be that stupid, or would they?


I suppose the only way we will know who knew what is if the distribution lists for each email are released under FOI requests, I believe such requests have already been lodged, or if someone inside No 10 does the decent thing and tells all.