Sensational news breaking on Boxing Day as it is becoming clear that Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has made a decision all on his own without having to contact George W Bush.
A mystery woman, let's call her Cherie, takes up the story:
"Well yesterday we sat down as a family to have our Christmas lunch. The table was laden with all the usual festive fare; turkey, roast potatoes the whole works.
"Tony had been served everything but then at the last minute he realised that he hadn't got any gravy. I think it is the first time he's had to make a decision unaided in six years or so.
"He agonised for twenty minutes with his finger poised over the button of the hot-line but in the end he just came out with it: "Hey can I have some gravy?", all on his own and totally unaided by Washington." Reports a tearful Cherie.
It is now hoped that this will herald the beginning of the PM making a few more decisions for himself:
"We'll take it one day at a time but God knows it's a start and it's given us some kind of hope. It would be lovely to think that in a few months Tony might be able to go to the bathroom without having to make a phone call first. But we won't set our expectations too high just yet" smiled brave Cherie.
