The art of the public apology

Actress Sienna Miller apologised for insulting the city of Pittsburgh. Photo / AP

ACT leader Rodney Hide's apology for suckling from the public teat - from Hawaii to London - was humble and unqualified. He looked tired, he looked worn. His head was down.

He spoke haltingly of his shame at his "casual use" of taxpayers' money. "That was wrong," he told a press conference. "I have made mistakes, I have shown poor judgment. For that I am sorry."

Jetsetting Maori Party MP Hone Harawira's apology for an abusive email tirade was at the other end of the spectrum. "I apologise to the party, because the party has done many wonderful things to advance Maori aspiration, and I know that my words have caused considerable damage," he said. But, he continued, he stood by the essence of his words. He blamed the media for a "beat-up", and Labour leader Phil Goff for "the cheek of the bastard".

"If I should be suspended for my language, he and his mates should be lined up against the wall and shot," an unrepentant Mr Harawira said.

The same day in the UK, an apology by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was perhaps the most masterful piece of public interaction ever achieved by the dour, emotionally-disconnected Scotsman.

Hounded by the Sun tabloid newspaper for an apology to Jacqui Janes, the mother of a 20-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan, he spent 13 minutes on the phone to her, trying to express his regret at his poor handwriting and spelling in his condolences note.

"I've tried to reflect my personal sadness at the loss of your son, er, and I don't want to have any, erm, argument with you about it," he told her, stiltedly.

A transcript of the conversation was splashed across the Sun the next day. So, finally, Brown manned up and called a press conference. He was contrite. There was a quaver in his thick brogue.

"I understand very well the sadness she feels, and the way she has expressed her grief is something I can also clearly understand," he said. "I wanted to say that during my conversation with her, but thought I could not really do so because I do not know her, that when there is a personal loss as deep and immediate as she has experienced it takes time to recover."

Former BBC political journalist Nicholas Jones, addressing the Institute of Communications Ethics conference at Coventry University last month, suggested apologies were becoming a foundation of political spin.

"Rushing out a rehearsed apology - including the 'S' word - is usually nothing more than a meaningless cosmetic," he said.

So today, we rate 10 of the most masterful public apologies. Some are humble and genuine. Some are remarkable for their clever use of the English language. Some are just brazen.