Never. They don’t and they won’t. So why was Peter Mandelson stupid enough to say that the matter “has been resolved” when there are still questions to be answered about the conduct of Labour general secretary Ray Collins?

The public want this to be resolved, they want to know who knew about McBride’s smears and why they didn’t stop him if they found it as revolting as they claim they do. Until the remaining questions have been answered properly, the story won’t be over.

Mandelson should never have uttered the words

That is where the matter, I believe, can rest.

Media stories don’t start and stop (or at least stop) at the request of ministers. This one will keep on going until it dies a natural death. But I doubt that will be much longer away, really. Unless it becomes so much suddenly more of an important issue, such as the Balls story taking wings, I would be surprised if the story doesn’t die down of its own accord soon.

But Mandelson’s intervention has just lengthened the story’s life (or at least it’s media impact) by at least a day or two. Genius.