During a press briefing yesterday a Downing Street spokesperson was asked had the Prime Minister congratulated Helen Mirren on her winning an Oscar.
The spokesperson replied that the Prime Minister had commented “it takes a very special actress to take on a role of this kind and Helen Mirren is a very special actress.”
As this bore all the hallmarks of Blair having said to his press secretary “if they ask about the Oscars, make something up for me. I can’t be arsed.” Consequently the press pack took up the chase like the pack of bloodthirsty hounds they are.
“And has the Prime Minister actually seen the film and this qualified himself to comment?” a reporter demanded.
Downing Street spokespersons are imperturbable of course.
“No, the Prime Minister had a very full diary and had not yet seen the film, but he had been informed about it and believed everything he was told by the people who had seen it...”

And would these be the same people who informed him that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction?