Downing Street has been accused of wasting taxpayers' money after making a jokey video in response to a petition for Jeremy Clarkson to be made PM.
The 55-second clip, on Number 10's You Tube site, was created after nearly 50,000 people backed a call for the Top Gear presenter to be prime minister.
No 10 said the clip had been created by a member of staff who had a "spare half hour" and had not cost any extra cash.
But the Tories said it showed the government had lost touch with reality.
The clip thanks everyone who signed the online petition and says officials have "thought long and hard" about it.
The camera then pans up the famous Downing Street stairs, showing photographs of former prime ministers, before focusing on an image of Mr Clarkson.
'Light-hearted'
The final message reads: "But on second thoughts... maybe not."
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "While the British public is having to tighten its belts, the government is spending taxpayers' money on a completely frivolous project."
"This shows how detached the Labour Party has become from the concerns of the British people."
But a Downing Street spokesman stressed the film was a joke, and had not cost any extra money to make. "It was a pretty light-hearted petition, so we gave it a light-hearted answer.
"A member of staff put it together in a spare half-hour." '
It just goes to show that the government wants us to live in a world where everything must be taken seriously and laughing should be illegal.
Clarkson couldn't make it any worse than it already is!!
Personally i think that old Jezza is god!! I love him and if he did run for prime minister then for the first time in a long time i might actually feel like i am not wasting my vote!!!
Aug 20, 2008 @ 14:43:07
