Mandelson has a pop at Campbell

Dear God. Every so often I read something that simply takes my breath away. In today's print edition of The Independent (I can't find any link to it online) they carry this extract from Alastair Campbell's diaries. Campbell and Mandelson are arguing over whether Blair should wear a tie or an open necked shirt.

CAMPBELL: I could feel myself losing it, said he could not swan in, upset what we were doing, then waltz out again. TB was like a dad trying to shush two squabbling brothers. "Cut it out you two, for Heaven's sake."

He [Mandelson] said I'm sick of being rubbished and undermined, I hate it and I want out. " Get out then and we can finish the speech" [Campbell said.]

"That's what you want isn't it, me out of the whole operation." I said I wanted to be able to do a job. He started to leave, then came back over, pushed at me, threw a punch, then another. I grabbed his lapels to disable his arms and TB was by now moving in to seperate us and PM just lunged at him, then looked at me and shouted: "I hate this, I'm going back to London."

Who would have thought Mandelson would attempt to hit Campbell and Blair in one meeting. Talk about punching above your weight! I don't expect anything else in his diaries will shock me quite as much as that tale did.