Chancellor George Osborne found himself at the centre of a second embarrassing gaffe in one week, when a private phone call in a BBC toilet cubicle was recorded and leaked to the press.
In the conversation, Osborne appears to make a series of disparaging scatological remarks about poorer sections of society, casting grave doubts as to the sincerity of the government's mantra that 'we're all in it together'.
The Chancellor had just finished a TV interview with Andrew Marr at Television Centre when he dashed off for the toilet break with lapel microphone left on. Staff in the TV control room were only alerted when odd noises, a ring tone and then Mr Osborne's voice came through their earphones. The microphone recorded a discussion between Osborne and the caller, referred to as 'Biffo'.
The three minute conversation begins; 'Yo Biffo. No, it's ok, I'm just on a brown bombing run at Pravda Central…. yah, relieving myself of the lumpen proletariat' (laughter) … slopping gruel in Oliver's bowl.' (laughter)… 'squeezing out the middle arses. Those aren't pips you hear squeaking.' (laughter)
Referring to his interview with Marr concerning the resignation of the government's Chief Whip he is heard to say: 'Just had to dodge a bunker blast from Wingnut about old bike-clips. Mitchell's been a complete arse blumpkin. Dave should have dropped him faster than a ticking camel-jockey and fed him to the hungry hippos. Instead, he let him dangle like a Klingon crapple for yonks while blonde baboon Brutus made the most of it, floating an almighty air biscuit at Party Conf.'
Alluding to last week's incident on a Virgin train, when he sat in a First Class carriage on a Second Class ticket, Mr Osborne is heard to refer to the ticket inspector as 'Beardy's bolshie Himmler', adding, ' If I wanted suppurating oiks and proles breathing all over me I'd…'
The conversation ends abruptly as frantic banging on the cubicle door and agitated muffled voices are heard.
After reading the complete leaked transcript, a senior Labour spokesman commented, 'In an unguarded moment by a privy councillor we see the true face, both cheeks, of this government. For once his assertion that 'we're all in it' is correct. He's 'in it' now. Up to his neck.'