Yes, Prime Minister
The newspapers yesterday gave a whole new meaning to the old TV catch-phrase - Yes, Prime Minister!
Apparently a film showing Russian Prime Minister and all round 'action man' - Vladimir Putin - discovering ancient Greek pottery while diving at the bottom of the Black sea - was completely staged.
Now Vlad - as he's known to his friends - was diving with a handy film crew in tow - when he came across the two ancient pieces of pottery - and his 'discovery' was shown on Russian TV with the PM proudly showing off his trophies.
"It's my trophy", Putin reportedly said at the time.
The following month the current Russian President - Dmtry Medvedev - announced he would be standing down in Putin's favour in the next presidential election.
Which leaves the way clear for Russia's 'iron man' - to serve another 8 year term as president - a post he has held previously of course - between 2000 and 2008.
But the Russian authorities have now admitted that it was all a put-up job - with a spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitting that:
"Putin did not find the amphorae on the sea bed that had been lying there for thousands of years."
That is obvious. They were found during an (archaeological) expedition several weeks or days beforehand.
Of course, they were then left there (for him to find) or placed there. It is a completely normal thing to do."
Of course it is - especially if you don't want to find a dose of radioactive Polonium in your teapot.
So I can understand why Presidential or Prime Ministerial lackeys - would want to go out of their way to show their man - in the best possible light.
Me - I'd be leaving Rolex watches and fancy goods all over the place - in the hope of currying a bit of favour.
But next time you see Vlad wrestling a bear - or saving young children from a burning building - just take it with a big pinch of salt.
Meantime I'm going to e-mail David Cameron's office to suggest that on Vlad's next visit to the UK - in keeping with his 'iron man' image - Vlad should have his drinks served in a dirty glass - and be invited to bite the caps off his own beer bottles.
Apparently a film showing Russian Prime Minister and all round 'action man' - Vladimir Putin - discovering ancient Greek pottery while diving at the bottom of the Black sea - was completely staged.
Now Vlad - as he's known to his friends - was diving with a handy film crew in tow - when he came across the two ancient pieces of pottery - and his 'discovery' was shown on Russian TV with the PM proudly showing off his trophies.
"It's my trophy", Putin reportedly said at the time.
The following month the current Russian President - Dmtry Medvedev - announced he would be standing down in Putin's favour in the next presidential election.
Which leaves the way clear for Russia's 'iron man' - to serve another 8 year term as president - a post he has held previously of course - between 2000 and 2008.
But the Russian authorities have now admitted that it was all a put-up job - with a spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitting that:
"Putin did not find the amphorae on the sea bed that had been lying there for thousands of years."
That is obvious. They were found during an (archaeological) expedition several weeks or days beforehand.
Of course, they were then left there (for him to find) or placed there. It is a completely normal thing to do."
Of course it is - especially if you don't want to find a dose of radioactive Polonium in your teapot.
So I can understand why Presidential or Prime Ministerial lackeys - would want to go out of their way to show their man - in the best possible light.
Me - I'd be leaving Rolex watches and fancy goods all over the place - in the hope of currying a bit of favour.
But next time you see Vlad wrestling a bear - or saving young children from a burning building - just take it with a big pinch of salt.
Meantime I'm going to e-mail David Cameron's office to suggest that on Vlad's next visit to the UK - in keeping with his 'iron man' image - Vlad should have his drinks served in a dirty glass - and be invited to bite the caps off his own beer bottles.
