We must admit to laughing out loud during the 2005 General Election campaign when Tony Blair sought to fend off valid questions about his conduct over Iraq and his dangerous exploitation of the 'war' on terror with statements like these:

April 2005: "In the end, you can play the ball or play the man," said Tony Blair on Wednesday, when the Tories accused him of telling lies. "If they play the man, that's probably because they don't dare play the ball."

May 2005: The Labour leader shrugged off attacks on his character, saying opponents "play the man rather than the ball if they have lost the policy argument".

Let us put aside any changes of outright hypocrisy just long enough to note the following:

Yes, sometimes it is easier to play the man not the ball. And sometimes, you are left little choice when that man will not pass the ball!.