Always keen to help, this morning Guido pointed out the vast numbers of communications staff employed by the MoD, should Philip Hammond be looking around for something to “streamline”. Guido quoted the 2009/10 figures which showed 697 spin staff, though MoD sources are keen to stress that only 23 are based at Whitehall and many of the rest have other jobs. This afternoon they have coughed the latest figures:

“As of 31 March 2012 the total number of military and civilian MOD personnel spending at least 50% of their time on communications related activities was 604. This figure is on course to drop again to 515 by 2015.”

Going in the right direction, slowly.