Spy in the cab put Howard on right road
A HIGHLIGHT of the Conservative election campaign, many would agree, was Michael Howard’s polished performance in front of Jon Snow on Channel 4 the day before the country went to the polls.
Was it, some wondered, rather too polished? Howard seemed remarkably well prepared on every subject that Snow raised, and at one point even appeared to anticipate a question before it was asked. “Next you’ll be wanting to ask me about Thatcherism and the council tax,” he prompted a startled Snow, who was.
According to our blue rinse source, Howard was very well prepared indeed. Snow, en route to the Tadcaster interview venue in a minicab, ran through his line of questioning with a researcher. Unknown to either of them, a fully paid-up member of the local Conservative Association was feet away, taking mental notes. Moments later, he was on the telephone to Central Office. Central Office got on to Howard and Howard blazed away.
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Tell us, we inquire of the Tory HQ press office, are a great many taxi drivers members of the Conservative Party?
“What a peculiar question,” says a spokesperson. And then, very possibly, sniggers.
UNdiplomatic
WHAT does the US think of the UN General Assembly? “A complete waste of time,” said Richard Holbrooke, former US Ambassador, in a lecture at the Royal Geographical Society. “Although it’s been described as the Parliament of Man, nothing that happens in the General Assembly matters.”
Reality check
SPEAKING at the Race in the Media Awards, Trevor Phillips paid tribute to Big Brother for promoting “racial and ethnic understanding”. At the same time, in the Channel 4 house itself, a white contestant was telling a black contestant precisely where he ought to stick a packet of fish fingers. A happy melting pot indeed.
Ps
A new portrait of Baroness Thatcher, painted by Michael Noakes, now hangs on the wall at Somerville College, Oxford, where the former Prime Minister studied as an undergraduate. Lady Thatcher was there in person to see it unveiled. “We are a Grand Master,” she may have said.
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