FO AND THE POPE

Young Carlton-Browne of the FO aka Anjoum Noorani and Steven Mulvain, really put their foot into it, what with letting their sense of the irreverent get the better of them and all that. It's so easy to guy an authority figure, especially a religious one, most especially a Catholic one, best of all the top Catholic one. Apparently a sense of the irreverent is a sine qua non nowadays for entry into the Foreign Office. Gosh, what a jolly jape it must be, representing Great Britain abroad and providing opportunities for the country to choke with amusement over its breakfast Rice Crispies. Let's face it. The Benedict brand condom? Could anything be funnier of a sunny morning?

Young Master Milliband apparently was not amused. He after all is in line for the flack from various Vatican vigilantes who perhaps might murmur that the proposed visit be at least postponed for a while, thus scuppering any advantage that might accrue by cosying up to the Vatican - think climate, think poverty. All this could have turned to dust as a result of a wheeze dressed in official memo style by junior hands. Gordon Brown must be chewing the carpet at this stage. The speed of apology missives has apparently been warp 10. No matter. The secret that Catholics suspected and some knew, is finally out for all to see and digest at brekkers. You can take a kick at Catholics and get away with it.