Anthony Barnett (London, OK): Describing himself as a "simple sailor" the former Sea Lord, Lord West, now the government's man in charge of our security changed his mind - sorry, his words, sorry he didn't change them he just made them clearer - after a brief meeting with the Prime Minister.
This morning he told the BBC, "I still need to be fully convinced that we absolutely need more than 28 days". Explaining what this "meant" later he kindly explained "Well I haven't changed my position, I think being a simple sailor, not a politician, maybe I didn't chose my words well. What I think we do need to do is to prove to the British people with the evidence that this is the case, as I say I'm convinced that that is the case." Which he clearly was not.
Nick Robinson's blog is a droll must-read on this woeful humiliation of the Admiral and the persuasive powers of Gordon Brown. West himself concluded, "maybe my choice of words wasn't particularly clever." I think that this kind of behaviour by No 10 is particularly stupid.
Robinson also picks a clue as the what the government will finally propose, which seems to be a form of indefinite internment at the discretion of a judge.
