Labour set to face polls backlash

General secretary Ray Collins was forced to deny claims he was involved in setting up a website to spread unfounded personal stories about senior Conservative MPs.

He was accused of attending a meeting, along with then Downing Street aide Damian McBride, at which the planning and organisation of Red Rag was discussed.

Red Rag was the site on which Mr McBride, who quit as one of Gordon Brown's most senior advisers last weekend, had planned to post smears about top Tories.

At the same time, polls showed support for Labour slumping dramatically in the wake of the affair, allowing the Tories to extend their lead to up to 19 percentage points.

They showed that trust in the Government had been damaged by the smears disclosures, which have engulfed Labour since they appeared last weekend.

The latest claims were made in the News of the World, which said it had obtained an email proving that Mr Collins chaired a crucial meeting on December 1.

It was also attended by Charlie Whelan, Mr Brown's former spin chief and the political director of the Unite trade union, whose Westminster offices were used for the meeting.

But Mr Collins issued a statement denying any knowledge of the smears campaign, which also involved Labour supporter and blogger Derek Draper, before the recent revelations. "I have had no knowledge whatsoever of any smears and found the stories and reports of the last week absolutely disgusting," he said.

"I did attend a meeting at the Unite head office on December 1 to discuss online digital campaigning and how we could support and encourage left-of-centre websites and bloggers. I am absolutely of the view that legitimate and responsible debate and discussion on policy should be fostered on the web and this will continue."