WHEN Gordon Brown sneaked into the role of Prime Minister almost two years ago, he promised many things, one of which was pertinent to this past weekend’s email smear events – ie, “a different kind of politics”

and “a more open and honest dialogue”.

But at the weekend it was shown that among the growing number of special advisors to the Government, paid for from the public purse, are individuals trying to discredit others for the benefit of New Labour.

Damian McBride was one such individual who not only used Downing Street facilities for this strictly party political reason, but stooped lower than New Labour ever has and attempted to besmirch a leading opposition spokesman’s wife.

Mr Brown says these antics have no place in government, but I refuse to accept he had no knowledge of them. After all, Mr McBride had worked closely with him for 12 years.

Decent people seeking an apology from the Prime Minister will wait in vain, as those who want an apology for his incompetent handling of the economy do.

The weekend saw the death of the last vestige of honour in politics, and witnessed New Labour’s futile attempts to cling to the wreckage of a dying party.

Colin T Mortimer, Pity Me, Durham.

IT is incredible that Prime Minister Gordon Brown did not know what Damian McBride, his head of strategy, was doing in his office at Downing Street.

Mr McBride was a senior member of Mr Brown’s team at No 10. If Mr Brown did not know, who did know? Who was Mr McBride’s manager or superior?

Did he know that this man was sending emails proposing a scurrilous smear campaign against leading Tory MPs?

For Labour to claim that this was “knocking around ideas”

that were merely “juvenile and inappropriate” is not acceptable.

Here was a senior employee of the Government, paid a six-figure sum by the taxpayers, working at the heart of government. Now, to say what he did was “juvenile and inappropriate” is incongrous.

This man has brought Mr Brown and his office in Downing Street into disrepute. It is time for Mr Brown to clean out his stables and get rid of his spin doctors and have a government run by ministers and civil servants.

George Smith, South Shields, South Tyneside.