Ten things we've learned about the PM and life at No 10

1. Gordon Brown has a bad temper

Rumours had been swirling around Westminster for months: that the British Prime Minister had shoved an aide aside; that he had sworn at officials; was fond of throwing mobile phones across rooms. But extracts from Andrew Rawnsley's The End of the Party put flesh on the bones. He grabbed Gavin Kelly, an aide, by the lapels and shouted: "They are out to get me!" He turfed a Downing St secretary out of her chair for typing too slowly.

2. Brown didn't hit anyone

There is no claim in the book that the PM ever did. On the eve of publication of the extracts, the PM said any suggestion that he had hit someone was a "lie". An apparent case of Downing St pre-empting bad news by denying even worse news, so it wouldn't look as bad.

3. Officers guarding Brown are a bit wimpy

An aide found himself delivering bad news in the back of the PM's car. Brown became angry, the aide cowered. Political advisers are not known for machismo. But when the PM struck the back of the seat in front of him, the occupant of that seat - his protection officer - flinched. They don't make them like they used to.

4. Gus O'Donnell is almost certainly the source of Rawnsley's story

Rawnsley said his sources were "24 carat" - including the one who informed him that Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, was forced to give the PM a "pep talk" about his dealings with staff. The Cabinet Office and No 10 issued three statements on this claim - all denying different things to what Rawnsley had reported, but none knocking down the story completely. Finally, O'Donnell admitted he had discussed with the PM how to get "the best" out of his staff. In other words: a pep talk.

5. Christine Pratt is a bit of a prat

The Observer made no mention of the word "bullying" on the part of the PM. Screaming, shouting, effing and blinding, yes. So Christine Pratt, the chief executive of the National Bullying Helpline charity, put rocket fuel under the story when she emailed the BBC to say her office had received several complaints of bullying from staff at No 10. But her story wobbled when she was vague about how many complaints had come in.

6. Alistair Darling has had enough of being maligned by No 10

The Chancellor of the Exchequer did a live interview with Sky News. A second extract from the Rawnsley book revealed that No 10 officials had briefed against Darling after he warned in August 2008 that the economic crisis would be the worst for 60 years. Jeff Randall asked about this, naming Charlie Whelan and Damian McBride as culprits. Darling said the "forces of hell" had been unleashed against him.

7. Never cross Maggie Darling

The extract referring to Darling also shone light on his wife, Maggie. Alarmed at leaks from No 10 that he was facing the sack, she is said to have raged: "The f***ing c**** are trying to stitch up Alistair! The c****! I can't believe they're such c****!" She was also instrumental in persuading her husband to do the interview in which he gave his 60-year warning, and in telling him to refuse to be moved in the last cabinet reshuffle.

8. Charlie Whelan remains a powerful presence at No 10

Darling, in his interview with Sky News, did not mention Whelan or McBride by name but, in a clear reference, said: "My best answer for them is, I am still here, one of them is not." McBride was forced to resign as Brown's chief spin doctor last year after admitting attempting to smear Tories. Less well known is that Whelan has been back at the heart of No 10 in a major way for some time.

9. People in the Westminster bubble have no idea what is going on outside.

So, a pretty bad week for Brown, then? Five successive surveys for YouGov in the Sun put the gap between Tories and Labour on six points - rather too narrow for many Conservatives' liking.

10. Members of the public want their Prime Minister to be tough

In fact, the revelations had an unexpected consequence: people began comparing Brown to Churchill, himself a bit of a brute in Downing St. The buzz was that it's a good thing the PM is tough. He has a lot on his plate. The PM has to vent his frustration somehow, doesn't he?

- INDEPENDENT