How McBride planned to attack Osborne

Everyone interested in the McBride story should read the Sunday Times’ account. It offers a revealing look into the mindset of the Brown bunker.

One thing the emails show is just how obsessed with George Osborne Labour are. Here’s how McBride thought Osborne could be smeared:
‘McBride goes on to suggest that the website should spread rumours that pictures exist of Osborne “posing in a bra, knickers and suspenders” and “with his face ‘blacked up’ ”.

“He wouldn’t be the first student to do some cross-dressing at university. But . . . why would a student in the late 1980s black up his face for the amusement of friends in their private college rooms? This in the era when young Tories wore ‘Hang Mandela’ T-shirts.” 

It is, obviously, out of order to imply things that aren’t true. The extent to which Osborne dominates McBride’s thoughts is intriguing, though. My hunch is that he is still bitter about how Osborne’s tactical decisions forced Brown to cancel the election that never was.