GORDON BROWN has reportedly stonewalled questions about Damian McBride as his former top spin doctor defended publishing his explosive memoirs.

Mr McBride told BBC's Newsnight programme that there were "lessons to be learnt" from his book - which details how he briefed against Labour ministers and Conservative opponents in an attempt to protect his boss - and which police are expected to be asked to investigate for evidence of illegal behaviour.

Mr McBride also insisted that he had been right to publish Power Trip now instead of closer to the general election when he said it could have been a "more damaging distraction".

Labour sources were incredulous that he travelled to Brighton yesterday to start a two-day series of television interviews, although he does not have a pass to the Labour conference itself.

Asked about Mr McBride after a fringe event at the UN General Assembly Mr Brown reportedly refused to answer questions.

But Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls branded Mr McBride "despicable" as he became the latest senior figure to deny he had given negative briefings against colleagues while in government.

Mr Balls, a member of Mr Brown's inner circle, insisted that that kind of "negative, nasty briefing" no longer takes place within the party.

In the latest revelations from the book, Mr McBride accused leader Ed Miliband of turning against him in an effort to further his own career and former chancellor Alistair Darling of being "catastrophically inept".

Charlie Whelan, who was Mr Brown's spin doctor in the 1990s, said Mr Brown would be "more shocked than anybody" to learn about Mr McBride's activities.

Last night Mr McBride said: "I think there are a lot of important lessons to be learnt from the era when I worked in Government and a lot of mistakes that were made. And indeed, from the reaction that I've had to my book, it's clear that they are learning a lot of those lessons.

"And these books always come out at party conference party season..., but I hope it hasn't caused a distraction from important discussions... inside the conference hall."