Our cameraman Dave Skerry had a ringside seat at one of the biggest media cock-ups of recent years – DuffyGate!

Dave was filming Gordon Brown live for the BBC News Channel when he heard a woman shouting at the Labour Leader.

It was Gillian Duffy, the lifelong-labour supporter who wanted a word with Mr Brown.
“We all swung our cameras round to film her, because to be honest , she was more interesting than Gordon anyway.

“Then she was ushered over to talk to him and that was a bit of a bunfight. Everyone running to keep up and keep filming. To those of us at the scene it all went pretty well. In fact we then interviewed Mrs Duffy live and she said she’d enjoyed it. So it seemed like a good result for Gordon.”

Dave was shocked when the news came through that Mr Brown had called her a “bigot”.

“The funny thing is we were actually interviewing Mrs Duffy and she was saying nice things about him.

“All the while he was putting his foot in it by accidentally talking into a live microphone.

“Poltiicians often accuse us of trying to trip them up, but to be honest, they don’t really need any help.”

Dave still has the tape from that day. It may well end up featuring in a Robin Hood Media training workshop.

The moral of course, as we could have told the ex-PM, is never swear, slag someone off, or go to the toilet when you’re wearing a microphone.

I should know, I’ve done all three — at the same time! But that’s another blog…