Our rulers must be shielded from embarrassment

In a little noticed move to further cocoon ministers MP's and Senior Civil Servants from the gaze of us proles, The Guardian reports that new rules are being drawn up to spare them embarrassment from the revelations of retired colleagues.

Among other things, Whitehall was apparantly 'furious' at Sir Christopher Meyer (ex Ambassador to Washington) describing Jack Straw and John Prescott in his memoirs as 'Political Pygmies'.

How awful! - and pretty insulting to pygmies I'd say.