JudeL - a nice list of possibilities.

I think it's more like this:
- He's read the bill and knows perfectly well that there are provisions in it to comply with undeclared interests which he's not allowed to mention (the influence of the mass media companies on the TV broadcast exemption and the pressure from local authorities to make lots of money out of it are the obvious examples) - so he has to make a big a big sales splash which loudly proclaims various 'principles' which are a Good Thing(TM) while desperately hoping to avoid directly facing the more embarrassing questions. He's succeeded so far at the latter, but then politicians are well trained in that art.

Some call it lying, some call it salesmanship.
Personally I find little difference between the two, all too often.

OK - so in short - he's lying!

And since Cherie Blair's recent little incident, "not giving an accurate account of the facts" is the new "being economical with the truth"

Anahata