Irish Reception
7/10/2009
The relationship between the UK and Ireland is a warm and supportive one in which there is no room for rivalry or triumphalism remarked Bobby McDonagh, Ambassador of Ireland as he welcomed guests of the Journalists Charity at the Irish Embassy
" So I would like to start by talking about Ireland winning The Five Nations.''
Guest speaker, the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson continued in the same mode. Apologising for being late he said he had been an an event for Amnesty International where there had been a series of readings of extracts from writers who had been imprisoned in their own country. " I read some Jeffery Archer.''
The drinks reception was held two days after the Secretary of State had sacked the Government's adiviser on drugs and he was facing the backlash.
" Peter Mandelson took me aside this afternoon and asked me why I kept on calling him Professor Nutt" he said to laughter from the 150 guests. " I had to say, that's his name, it's not a game of cluedo"
And referring to the Tories he said they used to be a party of proud Etonians and closet homosexuals. "Now they are a party of proud homosexuals and closet Etonians."
Keeping it tight as well as light, Johnson disappeared to the House leaving the journalists to continue what they do best - drinking and gossiping.