There is no getting away from the fact, the Prime Minister said three times at the Iraq Enquiry that defence spending had increased in real terms every year under Labour. Well, as we all know from Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday, that wasn't ever the case. Infact, for two years, including 2004-05, at the height of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan, defence spending was cut in real terms.
The humiliating climbdown by Brown at Prime Minister's Questions and also his letter to Sir John Chilcott do not acknowledge the fact that he was simply wrong. Instead, the prime minister is attempting to pass off the simple fact of incorrect information, as a 'clarification'.
The prime minister would get far more kudos, and earn himself some credance by simply admitting he got it wrong, and going back to the Iraq Enquiry and giving them a true account of defence spending.
What is worse for the Prime Minister, is that he is angling his election campaign at not being able to trust the tories with the finances of the UK. Thats quite hypocritical from a former chancellor who couldn't get his facts right about defence spending whilst he was running the books.
That brings me back to my original question. Did the prime minister mis-speak at the enquiry, or did he simply lie? Well it is a catch 22 for the Labour leader. If he mis-spoke, it shows that he is incompetent, or if he lied, it shows he cannot be trusted.
In either case, his argument that he is the best person to lead Britain is in tatters.