Full marks to Number Ten comms team for producing a witty response to a petition on the No 10 website calling for Jeremy Clarkson to be Prime Minister. It got 49,447 signatories. They could have offered the usual toffee-nosed response. But No!

They have produced a witty spoof video that didn’t cost much time and money to make and proves those guys do have a sense of humour. As it gets passed around the web it might, just might be the kind of thing that draws a few ordinary people into the Number 10 site. They could then be encouraged to engage more with Gordon in new media ways. OK it might take a few of these kinds of videos to whizz round but its a great start. Reaction has been fairly good.

So all good for Gordon? Well, check the date on the Clarkson petition. It closed in April this year. I have it from a well-placed source that this idea was raised with Gordon back in April. A light hearted, quick and easy viral. Gordon went away to consider and consider and then refused to countenance it going out.

Interestingly, according to my source, as soon as Gordon swapped his tie for bucket and spade and went off on hols, the staff decided just to go ahead and do it….