Gordon Brown has agreed to appear before the Chilcot Inquiry into the invasion of Iraq provided he is allowed to wear the full Burka.
In a statement last night Mr Brown asserted " In an attempt to be unrestricted and have maximum freedom before the committee I shall be wearing the full veil and will be totally naked underneath."
A Conservative spokesperson commented, "This really is the last straw. How are we to know if it is indeed the Prime Minister in there? It could be Mandelson. It could be Campbell. It could be Mandelson and Campbell, prodding each other at the appropriate moment!!
"Look, everyone in Westminster knowns that Mr Brown wears stockings and suspenders at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesdays, but his face has always been exposed."
Questioned by Reporters regarding the security implications, the Prime Minister, with an uncharacteristic twinkle in his eye, quipped " Well if that handsome young security officer wants to frisk me then you won't see me raising an objection! " And " he continued somewhat coyly " I can assure you he will have no trouble locating my 'weapon of mass destruction' !!"