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| ‘Magnificent’ Chris
set to stand alone |
THE 11th member of Brian Haw’s ‘Magnificent Eleven’
appeared at Bow Street Magistrates on Tuesday, to defend himself
against the charge of demonstrating illegally in Parliament Square.
Chris Coverdale does not immediately strike one as a dangerous leftie,
the sort the current government wishes to see banned from demonstrating
in the square.
He looks more like a businessman, indeed for much of his life that
is what he has been.
But following the collapse of two companies, he investigated what
he claims to be “corruption” in government departments
and has learned of further malpractices in the Attorney General’s
office.
“It says it is supposed to give high quality legal advice to
the government,” he told Diary, “but in more than 30 years
of business I have never come across worse advice.”
Unlike the other defendants, who are claiming that the Serious and
Organised Crime Act, which prohibits demonstrations without permission
from the police at least six days in advance, infringes their civil
liberties, Chris is claiming that he has no choice but to be there.
He said: “There is a law that says that every individual has
a responsibility to break minor laws in order to prevent a major
crime.
“It is the Nuremberg Law, and I am using it in relation to
Iraq.”
But while the other 10 protestors are all going to be dealt with
as one, Chris Coverdale will have the chance to present his case
on his own and could well be the first to defend himself on October
3.
But if the law finds against him, he is already talking about appeals.
The saga looks set to run and run.
Coach deal not yet done
CONTRARY to reports in other newspapers, the sale of the Coach
and Horses to the proprietors of the French House, in Dean Street,
has not been finalised.
Noel Botham and Leslie Lewis, owners of the French, have indeed
put an offer in for Norman Balon’s legendary Greek Street pub,
but contracts have not been signed. But Diary knows of at least
one other offer which is supported by several prominent regulars
of the Coach, which Norman has presided over for more than 60 years.
The final decision is up to Norman and it is understood a resolution
should be reached in the next week or so.
Wellington’s hands are reunited
with his head
THE hands of the man who held the sword that led the way to victory
over Napoleon’s army have been reunited with the head credited
with planning the victory.
A bronze cast of the Duke of Wellington’s slender hands are
on loan to Apsley House, the stately home by Hyde Park where Wellington
lived after his victory at Waterloo, and where the family still
reside.
Thanks to the macabre Victorian fashion of making casts of the famous
and infamous, the military general’s death mask can also be
found in the basement of the house, now owned by English Heritage.
Once known as Number One London, Apsley House was the first house
encountered after passing the tollgates at the top of Knightsbridge.
Made as a funeral souvenir the bronze cast which shows slender hands
with long tapered fingers is one of only two known to exist and
joins a large collection that includes an enormous nude statue of
Napoleon in the stairwell. |
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