LONDON, April 11 (UPI) -- A senior aide to Britain's prime minister has apologized for sending inappropriate e-mails, Gordon Brown's office at 10 Downing Street says.
Damian McBride issued the apology after learning e-mails sent from his high-security government account had been leaked to Paul Staines, who writes the Guido Fawkes political blog, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.
The e-mails sent in January to Derek Draper allegedly contained unfounded gossip about the personal lives of David Cameron, George Osborne and other conservative British politicians, the Telegraph reported.
Critics of Brown's administration say the e-mails have put the government in the gutter, said Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary.
"What on Earth are Gordon Brown's team doing indulging in the politics of the gutter when they should be sorting out the very real problems of the country," Grayling said.
Brown knew nothing of the e-mails and McBride since has apologized for their "juvenile" nature and the embarrassment caused, said a spokesman for Brown's office.
