Balls and Mandelson launch co-ordinated attempt to blunt Tory leadership's attacks on Gordon Brown's dishonesty

The Labour high command has realised that the Tory attacks on the dishonesty of Gordon Brown's position on public spending are causing real damage with voters and the commentariat. Rather than put their hands up and change course they have launched a coordinated attempt to say there is something illegitimate about the Tories' questioning of Brown's pretence that spending will not be cut.

Mandelson accuses George Osborne of getting "into the gutter"...

...while Ed Balls attacks the "bullying" style of David Cameron at PMQs:

Tim Montgomerie