Tristram Hunt
The Labour MP and former TV historian is getting out while the going is bad — resigning his seat to become director of the V&A
Not really the toughest decision, was it? Tristram Hunt could have waited patiently on the back benches until Labour once again had a sniff of power, something that currently looks less likely than a can of Heinz soup becoming leader of the Liberal Democrats. Or he could accept a job that seems to have been designed for a telegenic historian with political experience.
And so it was announced on Friday that the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central was resigning to become director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Tristram Julian William Hunt, son of a life peer and educated at private school and Cambridge, was always an easy target for critics who say Labour has lost touch with the working class. But young Tristram was born into the party. His father was Labour leader of Cambridge city council before being raised to the peerage in 2000 by Tony Blair. “I’ve been a Labour activist for as long as I can remember,” says Tristram. “One of my earliest memories is delivering leaflets with my dad.”
Hunt worked as a party researcher during the 1997 election campaign and twice applied to be a Labour candidate before he was successful in Stoke. At first everything seemed to be running smoothly. He was an articulate media performer and was rewarded by Ed Miliband in 2013 with promotion to the front bench as shadow education secretary. (And if that were not honour enough, he was named “hottest MP” by Attitude magazine in 2015.) It began to unravel, though, when Miliband resigned.
Advertisement
Hunt campaigned briefly for the party leadership, but failed to win enough support. Then, shortly after Jeremy Corbyn became leader, Hunt resigned from the front bench, blaming “substantial political differences”.
So it’s no real surprise that Hunt is taking his talents from Labour to the V&A. Both institutions look back fondly at past achievements. But only one of them looks as if it can expect a successful future.
Life in brief
Born May 31, 1974, in Cambridge to Julian and Marylla Hunt (now Lord and Lady Hunt)
Educated University College School, London; Trinity College, Cambridge; University of Chicago
Career Lecturer in modern British history, Queen Mary University of London, 2001-; presenter, BBC’s Civil War, 2002; Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, 2010-2017
Personal life Married Juliet Thornback, 2004. They have a son and two daughters
Alan Bennett
The madness of gorging
Here is a warning to British tourists abroad: before you tuck into your continental breakfast, please ensure Alan Bennett isn’t watching.
Advertisement
The playwright has written about the “dispiriting” greed of fellow guests at a hotel breakfast buffet in Venice.
“One young woman . . . piles her plate with melon, pineapple, grapes and kiwi fruit and fills her pockets with tangerines to the extent that nature itself is demeaned,” he complains.
As if that were not enough to ruin his holiday, poor Alan left his hotel to discover that the streets of Venice were knee-deep in water.
Jane Fonda
Losing faith in lovely liberals
Jane Fonda, known for her striking good looks and for decades of campaigning for liberal causes, has urged: “Don’t be fooled by good-looking liberals.” Now she tells us.
Advertisement
The Hollywood actress was talking particularly about Justin Trudeau, the chisel-jawed prime minister of Canada. Environmental activists are furious that he has approved the building of a new oil pipeline.
In other news: pot urges tea and coffee lovers to beware of “black kettles”.
Mariella Frostrup
Easel does it in BBC’s hunt for new Bake Off
The broadcaster Mariella Frostrup is taking over as presenter of the BBC1 show The Big Painting Challenge, which is Bake Off with brushes and easels (and if your reclining nude has a soggy bottom, they let it dry before the judging). She will co-present with the Rev Richard Coles.
Perhaps they could do a tie-in with the BBC’s new baking programme. So, Mary Berry, any thoughts on the bread rolls in Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper?