Just two weeks after asserting that organisations like the Woodland Trust or National Trust "could do a better job than the Forestry Commission," David Cameron today (16 February) admitted that he did not like his own government's policy.

Cameron appeared to have changed his tune during Prime Minister's Questions when he was asked by Labour leader Ed Miliband whether he was happy with his "flagship policy" on forestry.

Cameron replied: "The short answer to that is no."

Last week government showed it was feeling the heat by temporarily suspending its programme of sales for 15 per cent of Forestry Commission land while it re-examines the criteria for its disposal.

But Prospect negotiator Malcolm Currie warned at the time: "While the Public Bodies Bill is still on the cards, the dangers are still there, regardless of any review. Nothing short of a complete U-turn on the sale of land will protect England's forests and the wider timber industry."

Miliband suggested during today's PMQs that even Cameron must appreciate the irony. "The guy who made the tree the symbol of the Conservative party flogging them off round this country. He says they are consulting on this policy. They are actually consulting on how to flog off the forests, not whether to sell off the forests. Is the prime minister now saying that he might drop the policy completely?"

Cameron replied: "I would have thought the whole point about a consultation is that you put forward some proposals, you listen to the answer and then you make a decision. I know it is a totally alien concept but what is so complicated about that?"

Miliband said: "Everybody knows you have to drop this ludicrous policy."