Local hero misses out on the power and the glory
Much excitement in the local government community as it gathered at County
Hall last week for the first annual LGC 50 Awards. These are the baby of the Local
Government Chronicle (not, in fact, a very dull fantasy novel), intended
to honour the most influential people in local government. Hazel Blears, the
Communities and Local Government Secretary, came third, just behind Simon
Milton, the head of the Local Government Association. No shame there. Until,
that is, No 1 was announced: John Healey, the Local Government Minister. Her
deputy.
Strangely, Mr Healey wasn’t there to celebrate his usurpation. Indeed, many
wondered whether he even knew about it. Yet, with ministerial invitations at
the DCLG being routinely diverted through the office of the Secretary of
State, you’d think somebody might have flagged it up.
Currently touring the country to plug his new book (The Truth That
Sticks) Martin Bell was speaking at the University of Wolverhampton this
week, and told his audience of witnessing an MP trading his vote for a
peerage. Tell us more, Martin.
“If I did,” says Bell, when we call, “you and I would spend the next five
years in the courts. It was a senior MP, and I was not alone in noting it.
Somebody else saw it happen.”
Nancy Shevella, the US socialite who is thought to be dating Sir Paul
McCartney; something which is thought perhaps to shed some light on the
recent behaviour of the poor, eye-rolling Heather Mills. According to
various reports, McCartney and Shevella met up on Friday night to drink
cocktails at a bar in Long Island, New York, and “at one point she moved in
close and kissed him on the cheek”. It is all wildly exciting.
A new contender emerges in the running for Most Groovy MP; competition for
Geoff Hoon (spotted at Paul McCartney’s recent London gig and the award
ceremony celebrating Kylie Minogue’s career) and Alan Johnson (who drones on
about liking bands and stuff). Step forward John Whittingdale, chair of the
Culture Select Committee, who turned up at the MTV Europe awards in Munich.
He was most excited, he told our spy, about seeing the American emo band My
Chemical Romance. Later, he was dancing to the ultra-hip indie band New
Young Pony Club at the aftershow party, and revealing that he had introduced
Mark Thompson (the BBC Director-General), to Thom Yorke (of Radiohead). All
research, but research that rocks.
On Monday, James Purnell, the Culture Secretary, appeared in avatar form
at a Serious Games Institute conference in the virtual world Second Life.
Hmm. Another example of James Purnell appearing to be in a place in which,
actually, he was not? “This was a serious event at which he made a serious
speech on serious issues,” chides the DCMS press office. “Your question is
not serious.”
And to think it used to be dubbed the Ministry of Fun.
Are Canadians finally bored with Lord Black of Crossharbour? Publishers
there have decided not to bring out an updated paperback version of Dancing
on the Edge, Tom Bower’s controversial expose of the disgraced newspaper
tycoon and his wife, Barbara Amiel. And this despite sales of around 27,000
of the hardback. “It was a business decision,” says the publisher. “So much
had come out, we felt there was Conrad Black fatigue.”
Surely after “Queensgate”, the BBC has learnt a lesson about providing the
press with erroneous trailers. Maybe not. Radio reviewers have been sent a
copy of Listen Against, Jon Holmes’s new satirical Radio 4 show,
which includes an audio clip of John Humphrys’ famously cantakerous Today
interview with his fellow broiler Jeremy Paxman – an interview that ended
with Humphrys telling Paxman: “Jeremy, f*** off.” Only, the programme being
broadcast on November 14 won’t include the clip.
Did the two BBC heavyweights weigh in and stop the clip being used? “There
was no intervention,” says a Radio 4 spokesman. “It is purely editorial.
They didn’t think it worked very well.” Uh-huh.
Postscript
“We English men are quite unique,” says Rick Wakeman,
legendarily of the rock band Yes. “We all love to have a moan, but then we
put up with things,” he tells the Bucks Free Press. “Like with
the prices of trains. We moan and moan and moan – and then all get on a
train. You have to take your hats off to the French: at least they know how
to boycott.”
A bit of People found themselves bemused at the Classic Rock Awards in London
on Monday night, as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith launched into praise of
Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse. After hailing the drug-addled pair as “the
true spirits of rock ‘n’ roll,” he broke into the chorus of Winehouse’s
song, Rehab. Eeek.
As her father slaved over his Nobel prize-winning work to save the planet, Kristin
Gore, second daughter of Al, has been busy writing the script for
a film called Nailed, about a lobbyist and a sex-crazed
congressman. The heroine (Jessica Biel) has a nail shot into her head
but, instead of killing her, it gives her bizarre sexual urges. Father
should be proud.
“I would like to work with Johnny Depp,” Julia Roberts
tells Vanity Fair. “I've known him a long time. I think he's so
interesting, and I think we look alike in a funny way. So Johnny Depp.
Johnny Depp and I will play brother and sister in something.” Veritable
twins, those two.
