Yesterday mid-level staffers at CCHQ yesterday were waiting to find out if their contracts were being renewed with the prospect of a second election ahead. They were playing the blame game, or as one told Guido, “Who was shitter? Hilton or Coulson?”

Hilton’s hissy fits are legend – he has even been nicked for calling a copper a “w****r” – he disappeared for a while after the ‘Big Society’ was derided as unsellable in the same way that “social responsibility” was unsellable on the doorsteps. Treating underlings badly is a dangerous habit, he can expect a less than glowing press when the history of the campaign is written up. His great enemy, Andy Coulson, is blamed by some for being a booster for the TV debates, which the Tory sponsor Lord Ashcroft blames for the LibDems being put into contention – though given they lost seats, did it really put them into contention?

Tim Montgomerie’s review of the campaign is an opus, it is critical of the money and poll lead squandered as well as attack Steve Hilton’s “unforgivable” errors.  Lord Ashcroft must wonder what went wrong and where his money went.  Give it a weekend or so and the Sunday newspapers will be doing their inside-the-campaign stories…