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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Grayling laughs off Dannatt gaffe | Grayling laughs off Dannatt gaffe |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Chris Grayling has brushed off a gaffe about General Sir Richard Dannatt's role as an adviser to his own party. | Chris Grayling has brushed off a gaffe about General Sir Richard Dannatt's role as an adviser to his own party. |
| The senior Tory had been asked by the BBC about a plan to offer the former head of the Army a defence role. | The senior Tory had been asked by the BBC about a plan to offer the former head of the Army a defence role. |
| But, apparently thinking it was a Labour appointment, he said: "I hope that this isn't a political gimmick." | But, apparently thinking it was a Labour appointment, he said: "I hope that this isn't a political gimmick." |
| Later he said he misheard the question, adding: "It's a bit embarrassing really because I would have liked to give Gen Dannatt a more enthusiastic welcome." | Later he said he misheard the question, adding: "It's a bit embarrassing really because I would have liked to give Gen Dannatt a more enthusiastic welcome." |
| Sources have told the BBC that Gen Dannatt will be offered an advisory role by David Cameron and will be elevated to the House of Lords. | Sources have told the BBC that Gen Dannatt will be offered an advisory role by David Cameron and will be elevated to the House of Lords. |
| 'Really delighted' | 'Really delighted' |
| Asked if he was being lined up to "be a junior defence minister in a future Tory government" by the BBC's Emily Maitlis, Mr Grayling - the shadow home secretary - appeared to think it was the prime minister, not his own party, who was offering the general a job. | Asked if he was being lined up to "be a junior defence minister in a future Tory government" by the BBC's Emily Maitlis, Mr Grayling - the shadow home secretary - appeared to think it was the prime minister, not his own party, who was offering the general a job. |
| Mr Grayling said he admired Gen Dannatt, but hoped it was not a "political gimmick": "We've seen too many appointments in this government of external people where it's all been about Gordon Brown's PR." | Mr Grayling said he admired Gen Dannatt, but hoped it was not a "political gimmick": "We've seen too many appointments in this government of external people where it's all been about Gordon Brown's PR." |
| Gordon Brown invited several figures from outside politics to become ministers in his "government of all the talents" when he became PM in 2007. | Gordon Brown invited several figures from outside politics to become ministers in his "government of all the talents" when he became PM in 2007. |
| What we've seen today is that Chris Grayling is so keen to do Britain down, he'll attack anything - including his own party Alan JohnsonHome secretary Ex-Army chief 'offered Tory role' class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2009/10/general_gimmick.html">Read Nick Robinson's thoughts | |
| Later Mr Grayling told the BBC: "It was a misunderstanding in the television studio before I went on air and I misheard the question and I thought this was a government appointment. | Later Mr Grayling told the BBC: "It was a misunderstanding in the television studio before I went on air and I misheard the question and I thought this was a government appointment. |
| "I'm really delighted it's a Conservative appointment, I wish I had known beforehand." | "I'm really delighted it's a Conservative appointment, I wish I had known beforehand." |
| He said bringing in outside talent was "really good news" and the government had not used its outside experts "wisely". | He said bringing in outside talent was "really good news" and the government had not used its outside experts "wisely". |
| But his counterparts in Labour and the Liberal Democrats seized on the mistake. | But his counterparts in Labour and the Liberal Democrats seized on the mistake. |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "What we've seen today is that Chris Grayling is so keen to do Britain down, he'll attack anything - including his own party." | Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "What we've seen today is that Chris Grayling is so keen to do Britain down, he'll attack anything - including his own party." |
| And for the Lib Dems, Chris Huhne said Mr Grayling had "let the cat out of the bag". | And for the Lib Dems, Chris Huhne said Mr Grayling had "let the cat out of the bag". |
| "There is no real difference between Labour and the Tories when it comes to gimmicks rather than solutions," he said. | "There is no real difference between Labour and the Tories when it comes to gimmicks rather than solutions," he said. |