Catholic aid agency Cafod will not accept money from sales of former Labour spin doctor's book about his time in government
The Catholic charity Cafod has turned down an offer from Gordon Brown's former spin doctor to donate the royalties from his controversial book about his role in the "cut-throat politics" of Labour's years in government.
Damian McBride, who is now Cafod's communications director, had offered to give the royalties from Power Trip to his employer but the charity's management and trustees decided not to accept after soundings in the wider Catholic community.
The book, which was serialised in the Daily Mail and dominated the news agenda in the runup to the Labour party conference last month, included details of how he briefed against other ministers who appeared to challenge Brown.
McBride has said politics as a whole, and not just him, had been "pretty cut-throat at the time", while Ed Miliband has confirmed he advised Brown to sack McBride because of his behaviour.
Chris Bain, Cafod's director, told the Catholic Herald newspaper: "After careful reflection, the trustees and senior management of Cafod have decided to decline the royalties from the book written by Damian McBride about his time working in politics.
"We have appreciated the feedback offered by members of the Catholic community and wish to express once again our gratitude for all the generous support given to Cafod's work."
McBride said in a separate statement to the Herald: "As I wrote in the Catholic Herald last year, 'Cafod sees itself as nothing more than the sum of its supporters, its core purpose the living expression of their faith.'
"Given the concerns raised by a number of those supporters about proceeds from my book being used to support the agency's work, it is totally understandable that Cafod has rejected my proposed donation, and I can only apologise for the critical and unfair associations made between the book and Cafod's work over the last fortnight," said McBride.
"The fact that Cafod is both inspired and led by its supporters is one of the reasons I am so proud to work for the agency, and I will continue to do so to the best of my abilities in the years to come. It remains my intention to donate all my royalties from sales of the book to other good causes."
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