The Delphic Mail scoops itself by nine days…

It's October 08 and according to the No 10 website:

'Gordon Brown has outlined Britain's ongoing role in Iraq this afternoon in a statement to Parliament.'

And the Daily Mail duly reported that 'Prime Minister Gordon Brown today announced plans to reduce British troop numbers in Iraq to 2,500 from next spring'.

Fair enough… 'cept its bollocks though. In fact he outlined Britain's ongoing role in Iraq to the Daily Mail nine days ago.

On September 30, the Daily Mail reported: 'Under a series of scenarios being drawn up by aides, between 2,000 and 3,000 troops would remain in Iraq into next year…'

Between 2,000 and 3,000 - would that be 2,500? Well yes, as Brown told Parliament today (Oct 08): '… we plan, from next spring, to reduce force numbers in southern Iraq to a figure of 2,500.'

The No 10 website stated that Brown's decision on troop levels was informed by his having 'assessed the situation on the ground in Iraq last week, talking to senior military and political figures in Baghdad, and meeting troops in the southern city of Basra.'

That visit took place on October 02. Yet somehow the Delphic Mail managed to precisely predict numbers, timescales etc. in its report of September 30.

Brown pledged that things would change. He said that significant announcements would occur only inside Parliament. Not only was this untrue but in finest New Labour fashion he makes the same announcement twice.

He's been badly caught out breaking pledges. Everyone's spotted it. What a truly horrible week for Brown. What pathetic and unnecessary lies have been peddled to exacerbate things yet still further.

While Brown and his Young Turks behave like lemmings the Tories are behaving better than badly (which is good for Tories). But either way, with so many marginals knocking about, the Delphic Mail is getting more significant announcements than the Mother of Parliaments.

Thought this was the era of change and an end to old politics. How dumb was I to give it a moment's credence...