Gordon Brown as consistent as ever

At the Labour Party conference last month, Gordon Brown made a speech in which he stated that he would oppose dictatorship everywhere - "The message should go out to anyone facing persecution from Burma to Zimbabwe ... human rights are universal." Gordon Brown has also refused a summit if Robert Mugabe attended because "there is no freedom in Zimbabwe, and there is widespread torture and mass intimidation of the political opposition."

Bearing the above in in mind you would not be surprised to learn that Gordon Brown had decided to boycott the visit by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on the grounds that there is little freedom in Saudi Arabia, there is widesptread torture and no political opposition and because anyone not of the Islamic faith cannot practice their religion in Saudi Arabia. Prepare to be surprised; Gordon Brown will be meeting King Abdullah during the State visit and will be attending the State banquet in King Abdullah's honour on Tuesday when he is even expected to wear white tie and tails for the first time, having previously refused to do so on such occasions.

"Prudence" Brown was an illusion, it appears that we cannot call him Constance Brown either.