Dad's Army Ministers Don't Like It Up 'Em

Jackboot Jackie got a taste of her own medicine when a protester lashed out at her lies and spin during a conference on - domestic violence. Meanwhile Mr Brown goes off to town having lost it in a fit of air-rage, blaming everybody but himself. This Dad's Army government don't like it up 'em. 

Two homes secretary Smith had the wind knocked out of her sails leaving her pale and shaken at the launch of the government's domestic violence campaign, accused of using "gimmicks" and "spin".

Smith was no match for formidable Refuge boss, Sandra Horley, who stunned ministers with a verbal assault on the government's track record.

Branding government action as "piecemeal" and condemning plans for a database of serial domestic abusers, she said: "We have had enough talking - we need action. As for the perpetrators' register, it is a gimmick and doesn't address the root problem."

Horley put the boot in: "The Government is hoping to get away with useless initiatives like this register and it is hypocritical to sound tough and do little."

According to Ananova, Smith threw her toys out of the pram as she tried to interrupt the tirade but was shouted down before the solicitor-general stepped in to save her face.

Meanwhile deluded Brown has returned to his own Westminster bubble not a happy bunny after providing the in-flight entertainment on his trip back from Washington. 

Throwing his toys out of the pram, Brown was caught out, stabbing his finger at the poor tired hacks, descending into the default of deep denial, blaming everyone but himself for the recession.

In a fit of recession depression he snapped: "You want me to go on television and apologise, but I am not going to do it. I have nothing to apologise for. It is not my fault. Get in the real world."

Er, isn't that real world just where everyone is at the moment, bar one? 

The Orange Party's chuckle-point came when Guardian political editor, Patrick Wintour, is reported to have snuggled up to Brown: "May I just make it clear we are not all saying that..." 

Clearly in line for a knighthood, which is more than can be said for ITN's Tom Bradbury, who blew the gaffe on Brown's air-rage in the first place. 

All that while the truth about how those nice people at the ONS have been flexing their muscles, refusing to cow-tow to Downing Street's lies and spin over Smith's home office knife crime figure was being exposed, with spinners declaring war on this supposedly independent body. 

And in the middle of all that, Mandy gets slimed for the hypocritical way he's trying to come over all green. 

So what next for the hopeless bunch of have-a-go has beens? 

The bankers ban on big bonuses was at first easy fodder. Until the bankers fought back, pointing out that the government seemed to be quite happy to suck up to their pals in the City at the time. 

The green custard will turn to whitewash as Lord Laming's inquiry into the scandal of Baby P is due to be published later this week. The spin away from Balls has already started.

No doubt the children's secretary will be able to hide behind the whitewash of a report and blame it all on a bunch of social workers trotting out the tired old line of 'accountability'. Neatly forgetting that the buck ultimately stops with him and his department. 

Isn't it a failure of years of misguided child protection policies, throwing millions of pounds at useless initiatives which failed to put the interests of the child first, encouraging  a tick box culture, which is to blame here? 

Demonised and sacked fall-guy, Sharon Shoesmith, has already accused Balls of acting with "breathtaking recklessness". Social workers in the front line and the firing line won't be too far behind. 

It's a sign of the times when ministers of a fag-end of a government try to hide behind a mask of smug arrogance and self-serving interest, then come over all hurt and innocent when someone has the audacity to have a go at them. 

But with a government in collapse, more and more people are refusing to be brow-beaten by the lies, deceit and clap-trap. A healthy media and political bloggers are happy to report when people stand up to the bullshit.