"Fanciful stories"

The Mail carries an item referring to a book about Mr Brown, written by Andrew Rawnsley which will be published, and presumably will be on sale from, 1st March 2010.

The book, apparently, includes snippets such as :-

... claims that Mr Brown:

• Hit a senior aide who got in the way as he rushed to a reception at No10.
• Physically pulled a secretary out of her chair as he dictated a memo to her.
• Hurled foul-mouthed abuse at two aides in his hotel room in America in a state of semi-undress after reports that he had been snubbed by President Obama

and

Two years ago, Mr Brown is said to have been so angry when told that computer discs containing child-benefit records of 25million people had been lost that he kicked a table hard enough to knock it over. And it was claimed he threw a mobile phone at a Government chauffeur.

and

In 2000, Mr Rawnsley's book Servants Of The People revealed how Mr Brown panicked after a radio interview in which he denied knowing about Formula 1 motor-racing chief Bernie Ecclestone's £1million donation to Labour.

The book alleged that Mr Brown later raged: 'I lied. I lied. If this gets out, I'll be destroyed.'

In response, a "Downing Street spokesman" has 'told the Mail on Sunday' that

'Journalists are free to investigate whatever fanciful stories they wish.'

Yes, of course they are, that's what journalists do. Oddly they often uncover an inconvenient truth or two - such as lies and cover-ups and manipulation of data that enable governments to raise taxation.

The book, by the way, is called "The End of The Party".

Some party!

Phew! It seems more like a bun fight.