The assistant Labour whip Siobhain McDonagh has told Sky News she believes there should be a Labour leadership election “to clear the air”.

She has requested leadership nomination papers ahead of the party’s conference. This has sent shock-waves down Downing Street – the spin is that this is all normal – “happens every year”. Eh? When was the last time a government whip tried to get rid of the head of government? Tom Watson did it in 2006, (that is why Tories toast Watson’s name).

Is it just a coincidence that her constituency website has only this one picture prominently displayed on the front page? Blair is smiling…

UPDATE : According to Guido’s usually reliable Labour insider, Siobhain McDonagh wrote on the nomination papers for Gordon Brown in 2007 “Gordon Brown will be a disaster” – not knowing that the papers were numbered and she could be identified.

UPDATE II : Some in the comments seem to have misunderstood the last update – she didn’t vote for Gordon, she effectively spoilt her paper – and was identified as doing so.