The forces of hell

It's not going away is it?

Last Sunday's Observer carried a largely ignored piece about the way that Gordon Brown's mafia had ganged up on his chancellor after Alistair Darling had told the country to effectively batton down the hatches as we went into recession.

A message that the man who told us we were best prepared for the impending economic gloom clearly didn't want us to here.

Darling accused Number 10 of unleashing the 'forces of hell' against him in an interview last night forcing Brown to go on the offensive this morning denying that he would ever do anything to undermine his Chancellor.

However it was no secret that Brown wanted his sidekick Ed Balls in that position.He was thwarted back in 2007 and again last year when senior members of his cabinet refused steadfast to put Balls in one of the three grand positions.

Strange also that it is Balls who is in front of the media this morning insisting he did not recognise claims there is a poisonous atmosphere at No 10.

But back to the Chancellor's claims.Speaking to Sky he said that after his prediction back in 2008 No 10 aides briefed journalists that he had harmed the economy and should be sacked. The finger being squarely pointed at a certain Damien McBride as hinted in the Rawnsley extracts