You read it here first:

“The party needs a fresh start from its new leader, and I think that is more likely to be achieved if I make a fresh start…  having thought it through, and discussed it with family and friends I am absolutely confident it is the right decision for Ed, for the party, and for me and my family. This is now Ed’s party to lead and he must be able to do so as free as possible from distraction…. This is because of the simple fact that Ed is my brother, who has just defeated me for the party leadership. I genuinely fear perpetual, distracting and destructive attempts to find division where none exists, and splits where they don’t exist, all to the detriment of the party.”

So all that stuff during the election campaign about him being “happy to serve” in Ed’s cabinet was a load of bananas…

UPDATE : The text is taken from a letter sent to his constituency chair. Guido was not subject to an embargo because he wasn’t officially given the text.

David Miliband told the campaign trail that his pledge to train 1000 future leaders as part of the “community organising”, Obama-lite “Movement for Change”, was more important than winning or losing the campaign. In reality the whole thing was a failure. Funny he didn’t bother staying in Manchester for the Movement for Change events that were planned before he lost.

He told the Guardian in June: “To bring out the best in my leadership, we need to bring out the best in leadership at every level. This campaign is not electing a new leader. We all have to be leaders now.” Well, you’re not.

Miliband’s withdrawal statement is imminent, there must be part of him that wishes he had spent less time faffing around trying to look with it and more time phone-banking union members. Will he take the Purnell line and say he is going to spend more time as a mythical nonjob “community organiser”?*

*In reality Purnell actually ended up working for Freud Communications.

Ed Miliband has asked his fellow former resident of the Brown Bunker, Nick Brown, Gordon’s Chief Whip to stand aside from the race to keep his job. An interesting development and yet another example of how desperate Ed is to distance himself from his old allies. Apparently those close to Ed cannot stand the old bruiser. Brown said a Chief Whip needs the “full confidence of the party”.

Starting with the leader…

UPDATE: The ruthless new king is picking of bad eggs one by one. This doesn’t look good for a Balls Shadow Chancellorship.

UPDATE II: Long time Ed loyalist Rosie Winterton set to be shoe in as Chief Whip as Fitzpatrick pulls out too.

Hazel told a fringe meeting last night that the Labour Party had been “wicked and malicious” in government. Brillo asked her about her candid comments live on air, she denied having called her party any such thing. Watch her get caught out…

Via LiarPoliticians

Peter Hain says of David Miliband…

“It looks like David is going to decide to do something else, if that is the case it will be sad for him and the party, but we’ve got a strong team. We wish him well and we hope he’ll be back at some point.”

Staying with this morning’s baddie, Guido has found what might just be the first acknowledged lovechild on the Westminster gravy train. According to the Register of Interests of Member’s Staff it seems Tim Yeo has employed his daughter Claudia Stent in his office and given her a pass.  Not sure what the 17-year-old’s qualifications were for her role…

Claudia was born in 1993 after Yeo’s affair with Tory councillor Julia Stent. The scandal cost him his job three years later when it came out. He’s clearly taking a fatherly interest in her welfare – Guido was unable to establish from his office how much (or even if) the taxpayers were paying the 17-year-old…

Yesterday morning the Labour Party was in favour of the war in Iraq because “it was the right thing to do”, yesterday afternoon it turned against the war in Iraq because Red Ed said “it was wrong”. Harriet Harman voted for and argued for the war. Hundreds of British soldiers gave their lives and limbs to liberate Iraq from Saddam’s tyranny. Harman illustrates the Orwellian readiness of professional politicians to say whatever suits them at the time, whatever the price in other’s blood and treasure. At least David Miliband had a principled position…

Apparently Liam Fox claimed last night that “he was “appalled” his letter had been handed to the press and would “stop at nothing to ensure that the culprit is found”.” His outbox should be the first place to look.

The benefits of having this debate in public are clear – Fox feels he can win over support with the inflammatory language being chewed over by columnists and pundits. Downing Street are briefing that they are relaxed, but the story couldn’t have come at a more unfortunate moment. Today’s papers should have been dominated by the Mili-Geek Tragedy but thanks to loose lips, Fox has managed to split the coverage conveniently ahead of the Tory party conference next week. Guido can’t imagine the Downing Street press office was a fun place to be in the last twelve hours…

UPDATE: Dale reports that Fox just refused to deny he would resign. Get over to Political Smarkets if you think he will be the next cabinet minister to go. Fox is now favourite.

Guido always takes a keen interest when he hears the name Tim Yeo and green issues in the same sentence. The author, director of various green technology companies and part-time MP is one of the Tories biggest advocates of climate change hype and he does very well out of it. Not only was he elected Chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, but he also makes thousands of pounds a year from helping green investment companies such as AFC Energy. So you would think he would practice what he preaches about the environment.

Think again. Yeo is throwing his weight behind a campaign to stop a wind farm being built in his seat. In true NIMBY style he says:

“This happens to be one of the most beautiful parts of my constituency which stretches from here to the coast.”

Guido wonders whether he would be saying the same if it was one of his companies involved…

Guido thought that the Labour Party had made a terrible mistake in selecting Ed over David, but you get the true measure of a man in adversity. By all accounts David Miliband has chickened out of front-line politics. After repeatedly promising that he would be happy to serve in a cabinet under anyone, including his brother, a week later it turns out he isn’t. He isn’t playing any more.

Goodbye David Miliband, over promoted bag carrier that you were, wonkish finger wagger and man of straw. No psycho-drama, just tears…