It’s not just Clegg that is distancing himself from the decision to hire Andy Coulson. Former News of the World Political Editor Ian Kirby has an emotional diary for this week’s Speccie. Along with an insiders account of the paper being shut down, there was an intriguing snippet from last week’s Speccie party:

“The Mayor of London is having his photograph taken next to George Osborne. ‘I warned you about Coulson!’ Boris had shouted at him earlier. ‘But you wouldn’t listen.’ It was not clear he was joking.”

Boris has ability to smile as he kills, and it’s noticeable how quiet Osborne has been this week. The Chancellor brokered Coulson’s appointment in 2007 and pushed for him to be taken into Government. It’s the sort of thing that would come up in a future leadership election…