Saving the world . . . again

Don't you just love Gordon Brown's clunking attempts at spin. We are up to our armpits in debt with a balance sheet that would be even worse if all the PFI, PPP and other schemes to pour vast amounts public funds into private pockets were taken into account so what does Gordon do?

He announces he is proposing to cut the Trident nuclear programme from four subs to three - but only as an encouragement to other nations mind, showing them the way in reducing nuclear arsenals and halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

All very worthy but hardly going to be worth even a passing thought in North Korea, Iran and a few other rogue states - and it would put the logistics of Britain's nuclear defence programme into the wing and a prayer category.

It might be an empty gesture but when Gordon can deliver it at the United Nations it does put him on the world stage - eat your heart out Tony Blair - which is a step up from his attempts on YouTube.

Missing in all this saving the world stuff though is how much it saves the world of the treasury - and that might be much closer to the reason it is even being considered.