Huge handbags on Twitter this week between the Observer’s Toby Helm and the CCHQ @ToryEducation Twitter account. The Tory tweeter told Helm “You’re like Baldwin and Campbell – an activist, not a professional hack”, provoking paroxysms of rage from the Labour Party press office’s favourite broadsheet channel. Particularly after they called Helm a Labour stooge. This will apparently spill over into the paper this weekend when The Observer is going to allege that it is part of a scandalous McBride/Draper style dirty tricks operation. Guido understands that Helm reckons it could bring down Michael Gove…

Judge the robust exchange for yourself:

@toryeducation come on tell us who you are. You know who I am. Let's debate the issue and poll full on. Don't hide you pathetic disgrace.—
Toby Helm (@tobyhelm) January 27, 2013

24% say support has increased, 11% say decreased @tobyhelm You're like Baldwin and Campbell – an activist, not a professional hack—
Tory education news (@toryeducation) January 27, 2013

@toryeducation and no I am not an activist I care about an important issue which you clearly do not as you try to misrepresent it.—
Toby Helm (@tobyhelm) January 27, 2013

@toryeducation you are too cowardly even to say who you are. Let's debate this with the whole lot of figures and people will see your games.—
Toby Helm (@tobyhelm) January 27, 2013

@tobyhelm You were a Labour stooge at the Telegraph and always predicted UK would join triumphant euro—
Tory education news (@toryeducation) January 27, 2013

@toryeducation 18 years at telegraph as a Labour stooge eh? say who you are then we can judge who is the independent thinker here.—
Toby Helm (@tobyhelm) January 27, 2013

It is unclear to Guido whether or not the account is run officially or unofficially from CCHQ or by Gove’s SpAds, or what the exact rules about this would be. As is so often the way with Twitter, exchanges are strongly worded. SpAds are supposed to operate within civil service limitations.  A strongly worded written letter of admonishment to a SpAd from the permanent secretary may result. Not exactly enough to bring down the Secretary of State…

UPDATE: Looks like Toby has been down the bookies:

Rush of money for Michael Gove to be next Cabinet Minister out. Odds cut from 25/1 to 8/1.—
Ladbrokes Politics (@LadPolitics) February 02, 2013

This weekend played host to an almighty media bitch fight turned left-wing civil war between furious feminists and “bed-wetting” transsexuals. It all kicked off when Guardian and New Statesman columnist and heroine of the fairer sex Suzanne Moore stomped off Twitter after opining  in the Staggers last week: “[Women] are angry with ourselves for not being happier, not being loved properly and not having the ideal body shape – that of a Brazilian transsexual. Moore deactivated her account, not before going out in a truly spectacular blaze of glory, telling her followers: “People can just f*** off really. Cut their d***s off and be more feminist than me. Good for them”. Quite.

Step forward Julie Burchill, Moore’s feminist friend and fellow Guardianista. Taking up arms in defence of her under fire colleague in her Observer column, Burchill went tonto. Suggesting that “a gaggle of transsexuals telling Suzanne Moore how to write looks a lot like how I’d imagine the Black and White Minstrels telling Usain Bolt how to run would look”, Burchill proceeded to launch a stinging attack against the ‘trans lobby’, denouncing them as “screaming mimis”, “Shims, shemales, whatever you’re calling yourselves these days”, and “bed-wetting transsexuals” who “have your c**k cut off and then plead special privileges as women”. Cue lefty rage.

Vile piece of transphobic hatred from Julie Burchill that should never have been published gu.com/p/3d36n—
Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) January 13, 2013

No matter what troubles I face in future, I'm going to tell myself: "This could be worse. Julie Burchill could be leaping to your defence."—
Deborah Orr (@DeborahJaneOrr) January 13, 2013

Basking in the illiberal glow of the post-Leveson world, shouty crackers LibDem minister Lynne Featherstone went all Tom Watson and demanded Burchill be sacked:

Julie Birchill rant against transgender community is absolutely disgusting – a bigoted vomit for which the Observer should sack her. -lf—
Lynne Featherstone (@lfeatherstone) January 13, 2013

While Alan Rusbridger conveniently forgot that he is editor-in-chief of Guardian News Media as he went into full defensive mode:

As the dust settled this morning lefty commentators were still entrenched behind their barricades desperately trying to out-feminist each other. Man-bags at dawn…

UPDATE: The Guardian/Observer combine started Friday claiming it “OWNED” the weekend, by Monday it had disowned the Burchill article, self-censoring and removing it.

 The Observer is a paper which prides itself on ventilating difficult debates and airing challenging views. On this occasion we got it wrong and in light of the hurt and offence caused I apologise and have made the decision to withdraw the piece.

A lack of editorial balls…

When doorstepped this morning, Vince Cable ruled out resigning saying: ”I’m just getting on with my job as I always do.” So he limps on to fight, and lose, another day, but that’s not to say he hasn’t been banging his steel mug against the bars of his cell this weekend. With Clegg initially saying he was behind the national interest, Cable’s voice on the outside, also known as the spectacularly irritating Matthew Oakeshott, was deployed to stir things up.

The Observer reported: “One of Vince Cable’s closest allies, Lord Oakeshott, has refused to rule out a possible resignation by the business secretary. Cable’s comrade Will Hutton had clearly had a direct earful too: “He will speak out aggressively against Cameron’s veto; his decision is whether to resign to do so or say so in office, courting his sacking.” Will Hutton being wrong about something comes as no surprise, but him making something up would. Yet again Cable has clearly threatened that often cited nuclear bomb, yet failed to push the button. When push comes to shove, he’s yellow to his core…