Quote of the day

"I did exercise my view ... but I always took the view that there was one man elected as leader".

John Prescott on the invasion of Iraq, showing that although he may no longer be in government, he still can't help giving evasive answers to perfectly straightforward questions.

C'mon John, you've been candid enough to tell us all about your struggles with bulimia - how's about letting us know whether with hindsight you wish you'd not supported the military action, rather than just hurriedly pointing in Tony Blair's direction and saying "He done it"?

Prescott was talking on the Radio 4 programme 'On The Ropes' - given his past history, if anyone was going to come out swinging you'd have expected it would be Two Jags...

At least Blair's successor has committed himself to something, being one of over 100 signatories of an international treaty banning the use of cluster bombs worldwide. Gordon Brown's stated hope is that the likes of the US, Russia and China will now stop digging their heels in and follow our lead. No wonder the Cluster Munition Coalition, which comprises over 200 organisations including Amnesty International and Handicap International, is delighted at the news.