Ephraim Hardcastle
WISE after the event, former Tory MP Michael Spicer – now Baron Spicer of Cropthorne, if you please – says in his newlypublished diaries that David Cameron could have done more to keep in touch with his parliamentary colleagues (something which could be said about any PM). Especially over the appointment of ex-news of the World editor, Andy Coulson, as his director of communications. Spicer called John Whittingdale, chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, about a critical report on Coulson’s role in the ‘Royal bugging’ affair. Spicer writes: ‘He is furious not to have been consulted about appointment of Andy Coulson…’ The rats seem to be swarming over the side of SS Cameron. WHY did well-paid Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Stephen Hester slip into Buckingham Palace on Monday to meet the Duke of York? RBS shareholders might be concerned if the purpose of the visit was to persuade Hester to take on, as a client, Andrew’s spendthift ex-wife, Her Fecklessness the Duchess of York. But a source advises: ‘His audience with Andrew wouldn’t have been in the Court Circular if that was the purpose of the visit.’ THE rascally Irish movie star Colin Farrell, 35, the father of two children by different mothers, says he’s now looking for a woman with whom to share his ‘new-found joy’. Look out! A COLLECTOR’S item ( pictured) from Guandong Enterprises Ltd, of Finchley, North London, marking ‘the first anniversary of William and his beautiful bride, Lady Kate, now a Princess.’ The company admits the £10.99 mugs ‘are not approved’ by William. Relieved to hear it! THE 2011 calendar issued by pop crooner Sir Cliff Richard, 71, with pictures of the bachelor boy, was more popular than that of his rival, Justin Bieber, 18. The old rascal primes fans with the message: ‘Need to run to the gym now as it’s time for next year’s calendar shoot! Doesn’t time fly?’ NOTORIOUS ex-news International chief executive Rebekah Brooks is the star of an amusing, £2:99 Have I Got News For You greetings card. She is pictured accepting a degree – in full robes etc – from the University of the Arts, London, for her ‘ contribution to journalism’. The punchline: ‘As a fresh term starts at Hogwarts, a new teacher of the dark arts is unveiled.’ BERLIN’S Sunday paper, Welt am Sonntag, visited a club in Shoreditch, East London, where they have monthly ‘Blitz Parties’ – £20 to get in, sandbags surrounding a ‘bunker’, ration books as menus, gin drunk from tin cups and ‘Blitz cocktails’. Men dress as pilots, paratroopers and U-boat officers, women in 1940s costumes. We’re told clubgoers are fascinated by the period when Britain stood alone against ‘Nazi Germany’ and it proves we like Germans, really. If they say so!