Thursday, June 17, 2010

Huhne on song.

Bit of a mixed week for me at Westminster. Health wasn't great for the first half, but was eating again by today - which was fortunate because I was entertained to a very fine lunch in the House of Commons Press Gallery. Received my invite as a guest of Sunita Patel of the Shropshire Star. These lunches are rather special occasions. Today's speaker was Chris Hulne, Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment and Climate Change. Must admit that I hadn't thought he was 'great shakes' at the Despatch Box, but he was very impressive today - under the sort of hostile questioning you would expect from the press pack. And he was equally impressive on Question Time tonight. Certainly made former Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain look petty and partisan.

Anyway he made a very good joke - which may well have been around a while - but not heard by me before...... following a dispute many years ago, the department responsible for energy issues accepted that a claim from a complainant was reasonable on the grounds that "he may have been charged for the gas which escaped and blew up his house."

2 comments:

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

The same "Chris Huhne" that figures in the front page headline of the Mail newspaper?

The Minister reported to be in "a serious relationship", but not with his wife.

I guess anyone in government is free to do a "Robin Cook" and I wouldn't normally comment on such private matters but for the fact on this occasion you said nice things about him and BINGO, the poor guy's private spaghetti is plastered all over the Daily Mail.

Do you have any other nice comments about other front-line politicians that you dare share with us?

Are you developing the touch of Lembit Opik? The man whose touch proved deadly for many Lib-Dem politicians.

Glyn Davies said...

Christopher - he same thought had occured to me, which means I will tread with care in future!!