Harriet Harman today raised a few eyebrows today when she claimed today on Radio 4's World at One that Labour had lost the Norwich By-Election because of people's worries about swine flu.

Interviewed by the BBC's Shaun Ley, Ms. Harman said, "Yes, we are very disappointed by Labour's showing in the by-election, but it is clear that people were very worried about the outbreak of swine flu and are clearly punishing Labour for it."

She was pressed on the question of why the outbreak did not effect the standing of the Conservative party and responded, "It always tends to be the case that people blame the party of government for these outbreaks, even though we are actually in the process of eradicating swine flu for ever and ever."

Asked whether the Labour party deserved any of the blame for the shock result, by deselecting the sitting MP Ian Gibson, she responded, "We told him that he couldn't stand at the next election and the wretched man said, "You can't sack me, I resign."

"What a swine."