Gordon - you can fool some of the people....

This is so blatant an attempt by Brown to seize a political advantage over the Conservative Party as to be risible. The fact it was originally announced on YouTube without any consultation was bad enough. But the subsequent so-called discussions with David Cameron and Nick Clegg were so acrimonious that no consensus was possible. And now we have assorted Labour politicians who have denounced Brown as a bully.

But the way it is being rushed through Parliament in such a botched manner is an outrage. As Mrs Ted - not a lover of the Great Leader on a good day - said to me at teatime today: "Has he gone completely barmy now? Does he take us all for fools?"

To which my answer, of course, was yes.