Damian McBride had to leave Downing Street as a result of the revelations

Brown rendered mute by McBride emails

Brown rendered mute by McBride emails

By politics.co.uk staff

Disgraced former No 10 spin doctor Damian McBride has revealed the extent of Gordon Brown’s anger when he found out about email smears against the Conservatives.

According to Mr McBride the prime minister was unable to speak after he was told of the news. Mr McBride’s emails against Tory ministers, containing unsubstantiated claims about their personal lives, were revealed by a prominent blogger.

He has apologised for the emails and left his post immediately afterwards. The prime minister immediately agreed he had to leave his post as a special adviser in No 10.

“His reaction, as he said himself, was I think probably so angry and mortified that he couldn’t really speak, at least initially, about what I’d actually done,” Mr McBride said.

He appears to have struggled to resist the lure of party politics since, however. In the interview he accused Blairite former minister Stephen Byers of serial briefings to journalists against Mr Brown.