Chief press officer Roger Davidson insisted the rigidly enforced 'no media' rule at 'An Audience with Alastair' was consistent with the Chatham House rule employed for previous speakers, including BBC section editors Andrew Marr and Jeff Randall.
'Media aren't allowed because we're not seeking publicity and we think all involved may feel inhibited if they thought the content of the discussions might leak,' he says.
But surely with dozens of PROs in the audience - which will comprise communicators and their bosses - there must be a slender chance a nugget or two might reach the odd journalist: 'Er, yes - that is a possibility,' says Davidson, in masterly understatement.
