Master of Shameful Duplicity

For years, Gordon Brown has managed to obfuscate the extent of his deviousness. He shrouded his attempts to manage the economy with righteous labels such as prudence, the Golden Rule and sustainable investment. Concurrently, and largely through stealth, he raised our taxes in ways sufficiently subtle to evade widespread public criticism.

He seems to have relished secrecy and ambiguity for so long that it appears they have become his default setting. He gives the impression of believing what most people see as palpably false, and of being psychologically unable to provide a clear and revealing answer to any direct question.

But the fluttering of chickens coming home to roost is increasingly audible.

Only a few weeks ago, Brown condemned the Telegraph's revelations and trumpeted that MPs' expenses would be published by Parliament, inferring that the Telegraph's actions were pernicious and pointless. Perhaps he should have checked before sounding like a fool, since yesterday he claimed not to know why some of his claims had been blacked out, adding "my principle in this is for the maximum transparency".

Really?

Perhaps, true to form, he is simmering with delight that the redaction furore has diverted attention from news of a recommendation that MPs' salaries should be increased by up to £10,000.

Brown's obsession with secrecy dominated his original intent that the Iraq inquiry should be held in private; a different and more odious form of redaction, from which he has made an inelegant, if only partial, retreat in the face of a storm of criticism.

Mac's cartoon in today's Daily Mail hits the bull's eye.

Only a full public enquiry, with concessions for essential national security issues, will begin to expose the level of betrayal of British service personnel who, despite reservations in some quarters, were true to their oath to the Sovereign and obeyed orders.

Little did they realise that those who had initiated those orders and sent them to this optional war would fail them grievously. A questionable basis for the war; appalling procurement delays, inadequate equipment and resources; no post-operational plan for nation rebuilding; drawing down forces as operations intensified; all these failings cost lives.

The relatives of those who died and the public deserve to know why, why, why. Nothing less will do.

But with Brown's ignominious track record for candour and transparency, I suspect we should keep our expectations low. Little wonder that the enquiry will not report until after the election; Brown needs its findings like he needs YouTube.

Strange, I just can't keep the image of Brown's dead hand on Sir John Chilcot's shoulder out of my head.