Ephraim Hardcastle

BOOKIES’ 4-1 favourite as next Tory leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, 48, says Conservative Central Office plotted to stop him becoming MP for North East Somerset in 2010. He wasn’t considered politically-correct enough by husky-hugging David Cameron’s cronies, revealing on his podcast: ‘My agent was told before the final selection they could have any candidate they liked, as long as his name wasn’t Rees-Mogg.’ Meanwhile isn’t the trajectory of Cameron’s reputation now following that of his hero, Tony Blair? THE BBC follows up my story about who will succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth. It was considered a hereditary role when King George VI became first Head of the Commonwealth in 1949. Daughter Elizabeth succeeded him without question. So will Charles, says my source, adding: ‘He impressed a recent summit with a speech on growing up around legends like Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda and barmy Dom Mintoff of Malta.’ One day, while waterskiing with Mintoff, an exhausted Prince let go of the rope. ‘He went on – I never saw him again,’ Charles recalled. PRO-REMAIN comic Steve Coogan, 52, returns to the BBC with a new show. He says his character – half-witted radio DJ Alan Partridge, pictured – is proBrexit but a fool. So, he boasts, ‘having a fool praise something is a far more powerful indictment than just criticising it.’ A piece of work, isn’t he? PRINCE Harry and Meghan are expected to kiss for the crowd (and photographers) after boarding their post-wedding coach outside St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Didn’t Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, and his bride, Autumn Kelly, smooch inside St George’s Chapel after they’d signed the register? ‘Yes but that was for the benefit of Hello! magazine, which had paid £500,000 for exclusive coverage,’ advises my source. APROPOS that wedding, former royal spokesman Dickie Arbiter predicts which coach Harry and Meghan will use. ‘Probably the 1902 Edward VII State Landau, drawn by four Windsor Greys, which would be a gift from the Queen,’ he says, adding: ‘Nothing like rounding off the formal part of the day with a bit of grandeur.’ Indeed, isn’t royal life grand? TONIGHT Sir Paul McCartney, 75, is championed by up-and-coming TV comedian Josh Widdicombe, 34, in the BBC1 show about pet hates, Room 101. He hates people who knock Sir Paul, who ‘changed popular music forever’. He has only one fault – ‘dyeing his hair!’ Host Frank Skinner, 61, asks slyly: ‘Do you listen to his more recent solo albums?’ Widdicombe: ‘No, of course not!’ With fans like Josh, does Sir Paul need enemies? EX-ROYAL butler Paul Burrell, 59, now appearing in the Australian version of jungle ‘reality’ show I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and asked by an impudent campmate whether he believes Prince Charles is Prince Harry’s real father, responds: ‘Yes. Absolutely. (Diana) didn’t know James Hewitt when Harry was born. That’s fact.’