Update Manager "Could not initialise the package information"

[Phil Chapman]

This error appeared after a recent update to Precise Pangolin 12.04
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS
Release: 12.04

Couldn't get update manager version no

There is a red "No-entry" style icon on the task bar, clicking on it reveals the following error:

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An unresolvable problem occurred while initialising the package information.

Please report this bug for the 'update-manager' package and try to include the following error message:

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'
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[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Reviewing your bug report it seems that you are experiencing bug 346386. This issue happens when you have tried to update your package information when you are a network that didn't return the right files. This issue can be cleaned up by using the following commands in a terminal:

1.) sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/*
2.) sudo apt-get update

Thanks and good luck!

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please reopen the bug task if it was incorrect.]