Oh the beautiful irony. Tom Watson put his X-Box down for ten minutes to have a go at Labour for playing up Ed as a strong leader like Thatcher. ‘It’s highly likely that a spin doctor, working for Ed, chose to persuade people that he really would “Govern like Thatcher”‘ he blogged. Within an hour or so it was a full reverse ferret:

The adviser who briefed Ed's speech has re-assured me he didn't 'spin' the Thatcher line. Happy to clarify here: http://t.co/XkMaRYEATP

— tom_watson (@tom_watson) February 11, 2014

“Tom Baldwin, an adviser to Ed Miliband has been in touch to say: “For the record, I didn’t mention thatcher once in all the lobby briefing around the speech. Truth is, I suspect, they got together and constructed line themselves.”

Perhaps he should have checked his facts before he mixed opinion and news? Time for a due-prominence apology, for sure.

This is not the first time Watson has cocked up like this.

Remember when he accused Guido of selling drugs to George Osborne at a rave?

Or when he had to apologise to Nick Robinson for accusing him of being a Murdoch stooge in his book?

Maybe he should add a permanent corrections and clarifications section to his website, as they’re piling up…

It’s what Brian Leveson would want…