Guido has certainly warned that Sadiq Khan is a bit of a liability before, reporting last month that the one time campaign manager had been cut out of the loop by Ed Miliband, losing his place at the top table and sidelined from the policy forums that went to Hain and Byrne instead. Miliband can lose a shadow cabinet member but could be very awkward to lose one of the inner circle.

Note that the Labour machine have not criticised the content of Cameron’s speech, rather the timing and critique of their own record. Except Sadiq gobbing off. On message and definitely not pouring petrol on the situation, the shadow Justice Secretary accused Dave of “writing propaganda for the EDL” in this morning’s Mirror. Sayeeda Warsi is on the attack:

“For Sadiq Khan to smear the Prime Minister as a right wing extremist is outrageous and irresponsible. It is right that we make it clear: extremism and Islam are not the same thing. He must apologise, and Mr Miliband needs urgently to disown his colleague’s baseless accusation.”

Miliband knows this is a vote losing gaffe. But is he confident enough to be able distance himself?