Labour Under Ed Miliband is a 'Steaming Pile' Says Gordon Brown's Former Spin Doctor Damian McBride

Labour leader Ed Miliband has come under attack from a former senior aide of Gordon Brown, who branded the party under him "totally dysfunctional" and "great steaming pile of fudge."

Damian McBride stuck the boot in to Miliband in the same week as the Labour leader began a long-overdue campaign to tackle his image problem - which some reckon will keep him out of Number 10.

McBride, nicknamed 'McPoison' for his Machiavellian ways within Whitehall's corridors of power, blasted the party's direction under Miliband, with the General Election less than one year away.

Writing in a new preface to his book, McBride said Labour had "no idea" and attacked shadow chancellor Ed Balls for being ignored by voters.

It should be noted McBride has previous with Miliband, who tried to have him fired in 2008.

McBride said: "At the time of writing, nine months from the election, I've concluded that Labour currently has no positive messages to communicate to anyone about why they should vote for the party, no policies which will persuade them, and is being run in a totally dysfunctional way.

"This is partly due to internal politics and some genuine differences of principle, but it flows from a basic lack of clarity about what audience matters most.

"If unresolved by the two Eds, that kind of confusion will be a killer at election time, because trying to please everyone will end up pleasing no one."

What a difference nine months makes. Last year, McBride was praising Miliband for having the potential to be a "great prime minister."