Londoner's Diary: Meacher’s seat could attract David Miliband

Heir to Blair: David Miliband
Cindy Ord / Getty
22 October 2015

Could the death of Michael Meacher at the age of 75 pave the way back into British politics for David Miliband? Meacher’s Oldham West and Royton seat, where he had a 14,000 majority, is one of the safest Labour seats in northern England. As a former MP for South Shields, from 2001 to 2013, the seat could well be within Miliband’s tolerance for distance from Westminster.

The Londoner hears that last night there were intense conversations between senior Labourites, including former MPs and Blair allies, about the idea of seeing if the older Miliband could be persuaded to come back from his New York job heading the International Rescue Committee.

The proposal could, however, be hard to get past Labour’s National Executive Committee, which is in charge of selecting candidate shortlists for by-elections. NEC appointments were made at the party conference last month and, much like the leadership, took a swift turn to the Left, with a slight majority now being on Jeremy Corbyn’s side. Would the Left-wingers accept the return of a Blair heir? After all, moderate MPs were planning his return to a safe seat from the day of the Labour leadership election, to secure a potential replacement further down the line.

Some, though, remain optimistic. “David Miliband would add enormous authority to Labour,” said former Europe minister Denis MacShane, a friend of both Meacher and Miliband. “He could impact directly on today’s politics as he has superb contacts in EU capitals and could help the EU understand why it is vital the isolationists don’t win and we stay in Europe. If Jeremy is serious about winning in 2020 he needs the best Labour talent there is and David Miliband could make a big difference.”

***

Enough about David Miliband: what is his younger brother up to? Receiving gongs — Ed was praised at the Pink News awards for backing same-sex marriage, and revealed that his life had taken an odd turn. “Life as a recovering political leader is what you might call interesting”, the former Labour leader said. He added that he’d been invited as a contestant on “Drive ITV”, a reality TV show, but said no. We could not trace such a show. Who prank-called Ed?

Euston is in drastic need of a facelift

The Midtown Big Ideas Exchange launched a six-month programme last night at the British Museum. The project explores the virtues of Midtown, the area comprising Holborn, St Giles and Bloomsbury that provides a hub for new businesses. But for the keynote speaker, former Apprentice mentor Margaret Mountford, London’s future depends on its residents. “Ideas grow through people, not places,” she told The Londoner, “but they grow through those people being in the same place.”

Margaret Mountford. Image: Paul Marriott

Nevertheless, parts of the city could do with some TLC. “Some areas need a facelift. Euston needs it, and there’s a lot of conversations about the kind of facelift it needs. It needs more than a little Botox, I think.” It needs the whole Ivana.

Tilda really loves Pringles

Och aye, none of that fancy French malarkey — Tilda Swinton is waving the saltire. A party at Annabel’s last night for Swinton’s film A Bigger Splash was sponsored by Dior, but unfortunately for the French design house, all Swinton, pictured above with model Kristen McMenamy, could talk about was Scottish brand Pringle.

Sipping champagne Dior had presumably paid for, Swinton told her audience to “Go online and create your own deconstructed sweater!” — Pringle’s new service allows you to customise its Argyle sweaters for just £995.

Hotels wing in for food for thought

It was a tale of two dinners at One Horse Guards last night, as hotel groups Baccarat and 1 Hotels co-hosted a feast to introduce themselves to Londoners. Guests including event organiser Yasmin Mills, shoe brand Malone Souliers co-founder Roy Luwolt and swimwear designer Melissa Odabash, were among those seated at tables split length-ways down the middle: Baccarat’s luxurious half was laid with tablecloths, fine china and crystal glass, while 1 Hotels’ half offered a more rustic, scaled-back setting.

The hotel groups, which have properties in the US, hope to expand into the UK but as yet plans are unconfirmed. But architect Amanda Levete — who recently designed the V&A Museum’s new courtyard and underground gallery — was seen deep in conversation with one of the company’s bigwigs. Could she be adding a new hotel to her varied portfolio?

***

When writing about John le Carré you can expect secrecy but the embargo for Adam Sisman’s new biography was stricter than most. “I was told [that my author’s copies] would not be delivered before the publication date,” Sisman said at the launch at Daunts Books last night. “Pointing out that as the author I had some familiarity with the subject matter didn’t seem to make any difference.”

Yentob's Cumber-brag

BBC creative director Alan Yentob and BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead kept a suitable distance last night at a screening of a new TV version of the Ronald Harwood play The Dresser. After all, the Trust is investigating whether Yentob intervened in three BBC interviews about Kids Company, where he was chair of trustees.

Alan Yentob
Carl Court / Staff

Yentob, I’m told, also had an intriguing chat with Sonia Friedman, producer of The Dresser, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet. He told a surprised Friedman that he had kick-started Cumberbatch’s career in 2010 by casting him as Vincent Van Gogh in an Imagine documentary. Odd, as Cumberbatch was in several BBC dramas before 2010 such as Tipping the Velvet, as well as being a successful stage actor. Will Yentob next claim that he kick-started Van Gogh’s career?

Mixed blessing of the day: Lib-Dem leader Tim Farron had the honour of writing a whole page piece in today’s Sun about school holidays. His byline? “Tim Fallon”

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