|
|
 |
| |
| A farce Theatreland would be
proud of |
IF Ken Clarke had not “buggered off” when the Conservatives
went into opposition he might have got more support, according to
Mark Field.
Diary chatted with the MP for the Cities of London and Westminster
after the former chancellor entered the pantomime that has become
the Conservative Party leadership battle.
“Opposition is bloody hard work,” Mark told Diary.
“It was fair enough for one term but Ken Clarke basically buggered
off. He has not made a contribution for the last eight years and
that might be a problem for him.”
So Mark, now shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury, remains
firmly behind David Davis to challenge Labour at the next general
election.
Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of the whole process has been
watching a parade of “here today gone tomorrow” politicians
ruling themselves out of a battle that hasn’t even officially
started. Was Tim Yeo ever likely to become the leader of the opposition?
“It has been pretty absurd,” Mark admitted. “Unfortunately
we have been saddled with this system and we have been without an
opposition for six months.
“Sadly, it was a complete misjudgement by Michael Howard to
announce his resignation the day after the general election.
“The wind was completely taken out of the sails of the modest
gains that were made. It would have been better to have either gone
immediately or stayed on and announced his resignation at the conference.”
While he might not be a Ken Clarke supporter, Mark accepts that
his entrance into the battle poses the greatest challenge to the
David Davis bandwagon.
He said: “He has come in because of the failure of Malcolm
Rifkind, Liam Fox and David Cameron to grab the imagination, they
have failed to make an impact.
“And with David Cameron in particular there was a lot of hype
but not much substance. The prospect of a 38-year-old with no experience
outside politics becoming leader is not really what backbenchers
want.”
Mark has been particularly impressed by David Davis since the bombings
of July 7.
He said: “He has handled his Home Office brief pretty well.
He has supported the government when he has needed to and voiced
opposition when required.”
Mark has made up his mind and finally, after several months of jousting
between possible candidates it seems that the party has decided
on the last two to go for the leadership. But this long running
comedy, whose plot is so thick it would be too preposterous for
a West End farce, will continue for a couple of months yet.
Can you put us in the frame over this
mystery photograph?
CURATORS have had a busy time at the London Transport Museum,
in Covent Garden, as they clear their desks and put away exhibits
as they prepare for the 18-month refurbishment of the venue.
But as they have gone through their photographs they have unearthed
a 1935 picture that shows dozens of men pushing bicycles along but
have little idea where the photograph was taken.
The picture shows an advertisement for the film Becky Sharp, showing
at the Gaumont Palace – a name that was used by several cinemas
across the country – and a café called the Docherty
Café and Restaurant.
It seems that it was found as a print from a collection inherited
by London Transport and curators are pretty sure that it was taken
in London. A spokeswoman said: “We have no real idea where
it was taken, but are pretty sure it was in Greater London, especially
with the numbers of people and the railway line.”
The museum closes on Monday and will undergo a multi-million pound
refit to create more display space for original photographs.
• Do you know where this picture was taken? Perhaps you
are in the picture? If you can shed light on this mystery write
to Mystery Picture, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, NW1 9DR or email
letters@westendextra.co.uk.
Come on Ken, it’s time for a different
kind of spinning
KEN Livingstone uses any excuse to trumpet Trafalgar Square as
“the people’s square”, erecting giant screens to
cover any old boring football game. So one can only hope that he
will do the decent thing and erect a giant screen in the square
for the fifth and decisive Ashes Test Match beginning on Thursday.
There are tens of thousands of people who are disappointed that
there are no tickets left for the game at the Oval – apart
from ones selling on dodgy websites for £1,000 – so it
is the least the mayor can do.
But yesterday (Thursday) Ken’s press officials remained gloomily
ignorant of the importance of the game.
One said: “We have no plans to erect one at the moment.”
You think they would learn
YOU would have thought that commuters might show a bit of common
sense following the bombs of July 7, but no, they can be as stupid
as ever.
Diary was sitting in a Thameslink train coming into King’s
Cross yesterday (Thursday) when a man sitting on an adjacent seat
decided he needed to go to the toilet and left his laptop computer
case on the floor.
And the inevitable happened. Worried passengers noticed the bag
as they left the train and report it causing several minutes of
delay as security guards searched.
Yet by the time they arrived the commuter had finished his call
of nature and returned to his bag as though nothing had happened.
If any readers see similarly stupid commuters, Diary would be interested
to hear. |
|
|
