Hoon didn't order it...

Lobbydog gave his old chum Geoff Hoon a call this morning to see what he had to say about the £272,000 spent on artwork for the MoD during his tenure as Defence Secretary.

It was part of a larger refurbishment of the MoD’s Whitehall HQ in 2004, but also came as the country was fighting wars in which troops were chronically under-funded and under-equipped.

The cash was blown on eight pieces of modern art – since nicknamed ‘modern fart’ by MoD staff according to The Sun who reported the story today.

Hoon told Lobbydog: “I doubt that I ordered it. I certainly was not aware that I ordered it.”

I imagine these words have come in handy for Hoon in the various inquiries he’s had to give evidence at.

Next stop the Dr David Kelly inquest.