Shut up and do what you're told @ No 10

“There are moments I wake up and read the newspapers and think, I tell you what, you do the fighting and I’ll do the talking.”

Those are the words I heard coming from the mouth of our Boy David, this morning at his press conference. I felt the frisson of surprise ripple through the massed ranks of those gathered in front of him.

"Well, dodgy!" Arturo whispered in my ear.

And I agreed - it was indeed 'well dodgy!'. Now, as I have, so often, explained to you, Boy David is not one for spontaneity. He rehearses, every day, those little phrases that appear like throwaway remarks. He practises, before the mirror, those nods, smiles and knowing blinks. He would, wouldn't he? He was a Public Relations man par excellence, after all. So, it's only natural that when he became PM, he took with him all the tricks of a very tricky trade.

But - this morning was different. Maybe, he hadn't slept well the previous night! After all, Arturo had been caterwaulling outside No 10 all night. Maybe, the thought of the unions acting up had got to him and kept him from his dreams! Possibly, it was beginning to dawn on him that this Coalition lark wasn't such a great idea! But - whatever the reason, his mask slipped and he came out with that crass comment!

Why 'crass', do you ask? Just think about it. The British Armed Forces have been in an almost constant state of war for ten years! Yes, ten years! And all because of the rash decisions of their political masters.

Ten years of combat - only to have their life-saving equipment taken away - or never even being received in the first place. To be fair, this was not the responsibility of the Coalition - the other lot managed that! But then, along comes the Coalition and makes serving soldiers redundant - whilst they are still at the front line! It cuts their budget so that their time away from the war zone is cut still more.

"How many times," Arturo asked me, "has Boy David crawled along a drainage ditch in Iraq or Afghanistan? How often has he walked gingerly along a dusty path where IODs have been planted and hidden? Yet, now he has as good as told them to 'shut up!'"

I agreed - I doubt whether our Boy David will sleep very comfortably tonight. Arturo and I have a planned caterwaul-in this evening!