So it all started with the serialisation of a book. The way these things often do in politics.

Now we have claim and counter claim regarding Gordon Brown and the allegations that he may have bullied staff working at Number 10.

The story would probably have fizzled out this morning, had it not been for Christine Pratt and the National Bullying Helpline.

She helpfully came forward to explain that staff from Number 10 had called the office of her charity, and even downloaded information from the website.

I do wonder if it is common practice for bullying helplines to ask where people work? I suppose that most of their callers would be talking about experiences at work, but do they actually ask for a company name?

Either way, it seems to me this is fairly Westminster Village stuff. I very much doubt that the general public are really concerned about the nature of the allegations. I would be very surprised if most of them can remember the original source was a political journalist whose book was being serialised in a Sunday paper. In some respects, I think people expect the PM to be tough, to demand better from civil servants and react passionately when things aren't going right.

So it all started with the serialisation of a book. The way these things often do in politics.

Now we have claim and counter claim regarding Gordon Brown and the allegations that he may have bullied staff working at Number 10.

The story would probably have fizzled out this morning, had it not been for Christine Pratt and the National Bullying Helpline.

She helpfully came forward to explain that staff from Number 10 had called the office of her charity, and even downloaded information from the website.

I do wonder if it is common practice for bullying helplines to ask where people work? I suppose that most of their callers would be talking about experiences at work, but do they actually ask for a company name?

Either way, it seems to me this is fairly Westminster Village stuff. I very much doubt that the general public are really concerned about the nature of the allegations. I would be very surprised if most of them can remember the original source was a political journalist whose book was being serialised in a Sunday paper. In some respects, I think people expect the PM to be tough, to demand better from civil servants and react passionately when things aren't going right.