Hardcastle Ephraim
JUSTIN welby says his annual appraisal is completed, as the first Archbishop of canterbury to have his performance rated by a fellow bigwig. Yet he won’t identify his appraiser. Might it have been the Prince of wales? ‘charles has strong views on liturgy and doctrine and doesn’t shy away from letting the Archbishop know about them,’ I am advised.
DUE to play his first Irish concert in years (a charity show for the homeless in Dublin), will Sir Paul McCartney dare perform his controversial, 1972 ditty, Give Ireland Back to the Irish? It was banned in the UK, dismissed as ‘selfconscious and awkward’ and an attempt to gain ‘cutting-edge credibility’ in his post-Beatles career.
THERESA May bestows a knighthood on hardly-known former tory minister John hayes, who appears not even to support her Brexit deal. Does he support anything she believes in? he’s been against abortion since he was 15, voted against same-sex marriage and calls for a reintroduction of the death penalty. how mysterious.
DISCUSSING Harry and Meghan’s new roost, Frogmore Cottage, the Queen’s former personal chef Darren McGrady, pictured, comments: ‘That’s where we used to put the junior chefs and their families. But I’d take Frogmore over KP every time.’ As the only senior royals without an official residence in London, the Sussexes’ commute to and from the capital (with full security vehicle entourage, including motorcycle outriders) will be expensive – as will the renovation of Frogmore Cottage. Refurbishing the Kensington Palace apartments for William and Kate cost £4.5million.
JEREMY corbyn’s chief propagandist, owen Jones of the Guardian, argues for a campaign against moderate Labour MPs, advising comrades (on twitter): ‘has your local MP said they won’t vote for theresa May’s deal? that may mean they’ll abstain, which could save the deal. Politely tweet them now and ask if they’re voting against.’ (‘Politely’ is to protect him from criticism if comrades opt for vile abuse.) can’t Labour find a commons perch for oleaginous owen?
SIR Cliff Richard appeared at BBC Breakfast’s dreary Salford HQ this week to discuss, on-air, the damage caused by the Corporation’s bogus sensationalised allegations against him. This was where Northern-based BBC executive Declan Wilson joked in an email that the veteran star would ‘soon be playing Jailhouse Rock’. A source tells me: ‘A few people were keeping their heads down when Cliff arrived.’