Going, going, not quite gone

12.30 Nick Robinson now being interviewed. Banging on about details of speech. Missing the overall point. No change there then. End of post.

12.24 And that's it. The PM leaves the room immediately. As ever, the PM must be one of the best at delivering these kind of informal addresses. It may not be oratory, but it is extremely effective.

12.22 "This is the greatest nation on earth." "So, it has been an honour to serve it."

12.21 "Politics may be the art of the possible, but at least in life give the impossible a go."... "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right."

12.20 Iraq: "For me, we should see it through."

12.15 "My duty was to put the country first"; "decision making is hard"; "In government, you have to give the answer, not an answer".

12.12 Government record: more jobs, better health facilities, education results, economic success, minimum wage, etc, etc

12.10 Lengthy philosophising about how the old dichotomy between left and right has been replaced.

12.07 Announces resignation of party leadership; promises to resign as PM on 27 June.

12.05 Here goes again. Starts with joke; had to tell supporters "Four more years - not the message for today!"

12.03 Here goes. (Interest rates to rise by 0.25 of a percentage point.)

12.00 Lord Gould: "There will be a lot of continuity, there will be a lot of change." Too deep for me.

11.55 Still waiting for the PM to appear, although he and Cherie have arrived at least. He appears to have travelled from Northolt in an official aeroplane. Wonder how that is justified, given that this is essentially a party occasion?

11.50 Standing room only in Trimdon Labour Club. Jon Sopel, banished across the street, is filling in, by interviewing James Landells - BBC apparatchik interviews BBC apparatchik.

11.45 Nah, it's Huw in charge, desperately seeking to whip up some interest. Huw's in Westminster, even though the announcement is being made in Sedgefield.

11.40 How to maintain any interest in an announcement where everyone knows the content of that announcement? Oh well, BBC1 has cleared its schedules and the fragrant Sophie will - I presume - guide us through the proceedings.