Look what happens when you threaten to stand against Gordon Brown

One of the mysteries of recent weeks has been the sudden disappearance of John Reid. One moment he was being widely tipped as the Blairite Stop Gordon candidate. The next he had announced his resignation from the front bench.

Last week I pointed with approval to one explanation. But Reid's withdrawal may also have had a lot to the fact that stories like this were circulating around what we used to call Fleet Street.

Thanks to Iain Dale.