Where Were We Before Smeargate Saturday?

Smeargate seems to have run its course for now as Downing Street tries to nail down the lid of sleaze, spin and corruption, trying desperately to change the agenda and move on. But Smeargate is not the only nasty haunting Brown and the spinners as they slither down the slippery slope and dig themselves into a deeper hole. 

Smeargate exposed the rotten heart of a government spinning out of control as Number Ten battled against the odds to keep a lid on their four day nightmare. Today there's some banging on about McPoison and a defence of the SpAds - just part of the spin to deflect and close it down. 

The sordid saga has run its course because no hard evidence has emerged linking to government cyber minister Tom Watson and hence to Brown. The Orange Party along with the Sun, Tory Francis Maude and some others got in quick yesterday, before Watson's lawyers moved in, repeating his denial of involvement.  

But the Times has managed to nudge it on a bit today with reports the planned scurrilous New Labour 'Red Rag' was registered to the House of Commons. 

Now civil service chief, Sir Gus O'Donnell, co-author of a book with Brown boy Balls, has apparently refused calls by Tories for a smear inquiry into whether Watson was involved in a dirty tricks operation that cost the job of Brown's henchman, McBride. No surprises there then. 

Many were caught on the hop. The Orange Party was thankful not to have set off for a regular Easter holiday to IT starved Cuba, which thankfully bears no resemblance whatsoever to the knocking picture painted by David Aaronovitch in the Times. 

The Orange Party believes this rotten matter should be settled in the commons with a no confidence vote. But for now it seems the public has had enough of Smeargate already, already. Time for a reality check. 

Slowly cabinet ministers were being picked off one by one as the disgrace of commons two homes expenses fiddle was being exposed, with two homes secretary Smith in the front-line. 

The quick departure of Smith favourite copper, bungling Bob Quick, raised a few eye brows, not least the amazing coincidence when an alleged terror plot to blow up Britain was played out in the full glare of the media spotlight. 

Now it seems most of the alleged plotters will end up with a ticking off and deportation back to their Pakistan tribal homelands. 

That raises questions about just how real the threat was and whether police were trying to cover up embarrassment over Quick's quick departure. 

The outrage of a masked and unidentified TSG police thug over death of G20 bystander Ian Tomlinson pales into insignificance compared with the brutal assault by a second TSG officer caught on camera (right side-bar). 

With no shoulder number, beating the hell out of a defenceless woman with what can only described as an armoured gauntlet, there's no word on this outrageous thuggery from two homes secretary Smith. A high price to pay for deluded Brown's G20 glory moment.

And then there's the budget, put back until next week so Brown could bask in the glory of his G20 save the world summit sham. A greenwash budget for green people. Brown's army of little green people creating a New World Order - not now when it's needed but in years to come.

The B-day message is still being worked on. The 'green' budget may turn into an austerity budget. Only time will tell. The cupboard is bare. Bankrupt Britain up to its eyes in debt. Without a loan from his IMF pals dragging the country deeper in debt, a non-budget is the likely outcome. 

Smeargate had its moments of car-crash TV. But at the end of the day it was just the final nail in the coffin of a fag-end of a rotten government spinning out of control. 

Thank goodness for journalists not part of the New Labour media elite like Peter Oborne, Martin Bright and  Fraser Nelson - and a guy called Guido.  

No doubt there'll be plenty more instalments from 'Gordon's reservoir dogs' in the relentless round of sleaze, spin and corruption in the weeks to come, leaving decent rank and file Labour Party supporters "staring into the abyss" and the rest of the country wondering when it will all end.