Why is Brown apologising?

Woody is confused.

Brown yesterday apologised for the loss of two discs holding personal data on 25 million children. But why?

If it's a genuine apology then that means he is admitting he is responsible for the breach - in which case surely his position as PM is untenable.

He can't simply be apologising 'on behalf' of HMRC, because HMRC have already apologised for it. They are not some wayward child that Brown has to apologise 'on behalf of'.

On the other hand if it's not a genuine apology then he's just being insincere isn't he? And doesn't that just add insult to the injury already caused?

It seems that Labour think that an apology is just what you do when things are so bad you can't spin your way out of it.