Londoner’s Diary: A fair COP? MPs ready to jet off to Maldives for workshop

Maldives
Getty Images

AWKWARD timing from the Public Accounts Committee. As the world focuses on COP26, three British MPs and a clerk from the PAC are preparing to fly out to the Maldives at the end of this week to discuss how best to scrutinise the spending of public money.

Their flights have been paid for by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which is funded by the UK Parliament. During the pandemic, Commonwealth countries have conducted virtual workshops on good practice. But now they are hoping to meet in person in the Maldives, which rejoined the Commonwealth in 2020.

A CPA spokesperson said: “CPA UK is committed to reducing its environmental impact while continuing its work engaging with Commonwealth parliamentarians on issues relating to climate security.” A spokesperson for the PAC offered no further comment but did send a press release about Crossrail. That’s one way of dealing with scrutiny.

‘I wept when I saw my Diana movie’

Kristen Stewart
AP

KRISTEN Stewart says she was left “shattered” after watching Spencer, the movie she stars in, though insists it was because of the film as a whole, not her own portrayal of Princess Diana, above. “It’s embarrassing to be crying at your own screenings,” the newly engaged actress adds. It seems she has been deeply affected by playing the embattled royal. She also tells Vanity Fair if she could go back in time and ask Diana anything she would not have a specific question, but would ask: “Dude, can I hang out with you?” What would Diana make of that?

Foy: Calendar is the cat’s whiskers

Claire Foy
Claire Foy
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Har

Claire Foy revealed to us the “very, very, very low-rent” way she gets her kicks. “I bought the Grumpy Cat calendar 2022 today from Waterstones and it never fails to make me laugh. There’s something about a comical put down by a cat that does it for me,” The Crown star confessed. Speaking to us at the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year awards at Claridge’s last night, she added: “With Grumpy Cat, every month is my birthday month. It doesn’t ever make me not laugh.” Grumpy Cat — that moggy never misses.

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The Leopard Awards 2021
Dave Benett

NICK CAVE and his wife Susie were among those at the jewellery industry bash The Leopard awards, sponsored by the Natural Diamond Council, at Goldsmiths’ Hall last night. Actor Anna Shaffer, model Munroe Bergdorf and artist Kesewa Aboah came along too.

Erin O’Connor
Erin O’Connor
Dave Benett

At the Harper’s awards, model Erin O’Connor shared her pre-night out tip: “I just put the kids to bed and had a Scotch egg and now I’m here.”

SW1A

JACOB REES-MOGG declares that “people will not vote to ruin their own standards of living” after being asked about green policies in the wake of COP26 on his Moggcast. Funny, The Londoner is old enough to recall Brexiteers of Rees-Mogg’s ilk rubbishing similar fears about the impact of Brexit.

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MICHAEL GOVE’s former aide at education, Sam Freedman, revealed online that he once fell asleep after a huge meal “involving many dumplings” on a visit to a vocational cookery centre, which was followed by a 90-minute talk on curriculum reform. “The glamour,” Gove responded, “of politics.” Quite.

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