Gotcha! - the myth.

Memory is a strange old thing. The 'Standard' reminded me last night that following Blair's election victory in 1997, 90% of voters questioned by the paper claimed to have voted Labour. It's like that wonderful line from Jonathan Meades, gently digging at those who ascribe their homes with more kudos than in reality they merit; "Lutyens was known to have designed fourteen domestic buildings. Forty-seven of which are in Surrey."

I have a good friend called Ray who worked the night-hours in an editorial capacity for the 'Sun' at the time of the Falklands. He was on duty when the news of the Belgrano sinking came through. A first, somewhat limited print run was produced with the 'Gotcha!' strap on the front page. It was quickly changed. The copies of the paper on most people's breakfast tables said something quite different.

Remarkably, nine out of ten people one speaks to today not only claim to have been Sun readers at the time, but to have bought the copy of the paper with the 'Gotcha!' headline.