THE spin doctors cannot spin themselves out of this one. Nor is there any way the figures can be massaged to cushion the massive body blows the Liberal Democrats have inflicted on Tony Blair and Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith in the Brent East by-election.

Leading Sinn Féin member Gerry Kelly was hitting the election trail in London today – supporting a candidate in the Brent East by-election whose brother was murdered by British soldiers in Belfast.