True Blues in the cold
Like those at the Cavern Club in 1961, Martin Vander Weyer can boast of being there at the birth of a phenomenon — in his case Borismania. The business editor of The Spectator revealed that Boris Johnson first declared his destiny to be an MP when Vander Weyer told him he was seeking a seat in early 1995. “Yah, I think I’ll have a go at that, too,” BoJo replied.
MVW invited him to lose his campaigning virginity by talking to party members in Yorkshire, but they arrived at York station in a blizzard with a 25-mile drive ahead. Boris thought about giving up, but Martin insisted they fight on. Trouble hit, though, on a steep and icy country road. After several failed attempts, Boris clambered out and lay spreadeagled on the bonnet so that the car could gain traction. Finally, Johnson of the Antarctic arrived at the meeting hall — only to find that everyone had gone home.
Reading from his new book, Any Other Business, at the Savile Club, Vander Weyer also recalled the chivalrous way in which he was sacked as leader writer on The Daily Telegraph. “May I say that your work for us has been universally excellent,” Charles Moore, the über-polite editor, told him one evening. “But I wonder if you’d mind not coming in any more.”
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Wooing Paxo
The Conservatives are getting desperate to avoid being challenged during the election. I’m told that Jeremy Paxman, who will anchor Channel 4’s coverage and is set to chair a debate if it ever happens, was courted by George Osborne and Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, to stand in Kensington. Paxo, who was also asked to stand as London mayor, rejected the advances. Since the Tories don’t really need the lustre of a celebrity candidate to win the safe seat, some suspect they just want to force the old rottweiler on to the sidelines.
Mixed messages from my daughter’s nursery. Last week an email warned us to be vigilant after a possible case of scarlet fever; this week’s said: “Let’s celebrate red nose day.” I do wish they’d make their minds up.
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Berth pangs
The Duke of Edinburgh was in waspish mood as he watched his wife smash a bottle of fizz over the new P&O cruise ship, Britannia, yesterday. “We could do with something like this,” he told a P&O official as they toured the vessel with its 15 passenger decks and 13 restaurants. “It may be a little large for you, sir,” came the reply. “Well,” said the Duke, “the family keeps growing.”
Scott Williams emails to point out that Alex Salmond, when confused, becomes “a sex-doll man”, while Simon Bottery says that Andy Burnham should be ordered to “unhand my bra”. I think they were offering political anagrams for my series, rather than scurrilous gossip.
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Not amused
If David Cameron hopes to get much out of Angela Merkel in his post-election renegotiation talks he’d better learn not to try any jokes. When the German leader came to London in January, Cameron took her round a British Museum exhibition about her country and showed her some worthless 1920s reichsmarks that illustrated the Weimar hyperinflation. “And here we are in the Greek zone . . . ” Cameron told her. It fell flatter than the Lib Dems’ recent poll ratings.