A setback but Brown should still apologise says Campbell

The Damian McBride affair is a setback, a problem, an unwanted if not entirely unexpected event which temporarily at least gets in the way of the strategic direction of the government.

writes Alastair Campbell on his blog today but he also hints that Brown should consider apologising

there is the question of Cameron's call for an apology. There may be politics attached to it, but it is worth asking the question - if a Tory spin doctor had been found to be planning smears against the families of Labour politicians, would we have asked for, and expected, an apology? I think the answer is yes.

Whilst at Labour List,Mike Ion beleives that

So tomorrow morning he should come out onto the steps of Downing Street and look into the eyes of the assembled media and state clearly and categorically that he is sorry for the hurt that has been caused to all concerned, sorry for the embarrassment and shame that has been heaped upon our party and sorry for the damage done to politics in general. He should even consider writing to the likes of Samantha Cameron and Francis Osborne expressing his personal regret at what happened. Without any of this I think it will be very difficult to draw a line underneath this sad, tawdry and rather ugly incident.

And an apology from Derek Draper

So I am sorry. I am particularly sorry to the individuals mentioned in those juvenile emails, and especially sorry to Nadine Dorries, George and Frances Osborne and David and Samantha Cameron. I can understand why they – and others – may be sceptical but all I can do is absolutely promise that these stories were just daft ideas that never – and would never have - got off the drawing board.