We scowled at each other for 20 minutes before he left, to be replaced by Michael Portillo, who bade us a cheery good afternoon. After another quarter hour he pushed off and I prepared to leave myself. I stared wildly around the room, looking for support or distraction. At that moment, in walked Michael Fabricant. Suddenly I pictured myself with them all, standing outside the Pearly Gates.
Politicians love meeting celebrities.
I heard a touching story about the late Donald Dewar, who as first minister in Scotland was to encounter all kinds of famous people at the launch party for the last Edinburgh Festival before he died. Aides with photographs had helped him identify all the faces he was likely to meet, so it was with great confidence that he strode up to Dannii Minogue and introduced himself. After a while he turned to the chap beside her and inquired what he did. Ah am a racing driver. Mah name is Jacques Villeneuve.