To the launch of Damian McBride’s political memoir Power Trip, which chronicles how the spin doctor schmoozed, bullied, berated and lied in the service of his boss Gordon Brown. McBride, nicknamed McPoison by his detractors, told me he did not invite many people as he was afraid no one would come and that he did not expect any Labour MPs to turn up. In the event one did, Tom Watson.
McBride was so moved that he had graced the launch party at the Intercontinental London that he mentioned Watson's bravery in his speech. “There is one group of people we are missing here,” he said. “That one from the Labour Party ... If you tell the truth, people run.”
Catholic charity Cafod clearly didn’t like the truth and declined to receive royalties from the memoir. McBride, its media spokesman, faces calls from leading Catholics to be sacked from his job, which might explain his repentant attitude. Last night he regretted missed opportunities to do good: “If I had my time back I would have done it differently.”
