Culture vultures flock to the V&A summer party

A GLITTERING crowd flocked to Victoria and Albert museum’s Madejski garden for its summer party last night. New V&A director Tristram Hunt was in great demand, and was glowing with pleasure as the host.

After the Labour’s Party’s remarkable electoral upturn, The Londoner asked whether he regretted quitting as MP for Stoke last year? The answer was clear: “No, no, no,” he laughed, gesturing at the glamour. “It’s so special to be here.” Did the party remind him of previous Labour shindigs at all? “No, this is slightly different to Parliamentary Labour Par t y meetings,” Hunt said. “More cordial.”

Lots of beautiful outfits were on display but one style icon in particular stole the s h o w. “What is this about the Queen’s

AT YESTERDAY’S ceremony in parliament for the Queen’s Speech there was one very excited guest: William Herbert, a Big Issue vendor of 26 years was invited along to watch, hat?” a young German man was spotted asking Alain de Botton, “Oh it’s marvellous,” the philosopher replied, before getting the picture of Her Majesty up on his phone and diving into the crowd to show it off. “Brexit’s a very odd thing for Conservatives to do,” he told us. “They’re supposed to conserve, not break things up.”

Last to arrive was film director Baz Luhrmann, who turned up just as the booze had run out. “Where’s a bootle g ger when you need one?” he wailed. Then he was off with his friend, artist Jo n a t h a n Ye o, for espresso ma r t i n i s at the South Kensington C lub — “H e ’s very naughty,” said Baz, “I do whatever he tells me to do.”

as the magazine founder Lord Bird’s plus one. “I feel like a million pounds,” said Herbert. “Today I swapped my Big Issue tabard for a new suit.” And the Lords put on ermine tabards.