Londoner's Diary: One Goldsmith goes quietly, the other less so ...

(Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images
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2 December 2016

The defeat of Zac Goldsmith, the golden boy of the politico-social clan, hit the family hard. His mother Lady Annabel, who had been out canvassing for him, holding the sign “Stop Heathrow Expansion” upside down, looked pained as the results came through, as did Zac’s wife Alice Rothschild. Zac’s brother Ben was rather less restrained, though, letting off a volley of tweets in which he called the Lib-Dem victor Sarah Olney “drab” and used language about Bob Geldof that even Sir Bob might blanche at. Financier Ben tweeted at 1.53 in the morning: “Even by Lib-Dem standards, Sarah Olney really is unimaginably drab”. He rapidly deleted it but not before tweeters spotted it was a reference to a woman’s appearance — “entitlement, misogyny and ignorance,” as one female tweeter noted. Geldof was on the campaign trail with Olney, was also the subject of his ire. Sir Giveusyourfookingmoney was last seen being vocal on politics on a speedboat on the Thames cheering for the Remain campaign, turned up in the Richmond Park and North Kingston constituency earlier this week to bang the drum for Olney. “People from all sides coming together on Twitter to affirm that Bob Geldof really is a prime c***,” said Ben, adding for good measure, “perhaps the biggest on the celeb circuit.”

Many of the more liberally-minded Richmond residents will have looked at their old copy of I Don’t Like Mondays with new-found pride, and tittered gently at Ben Goldsmith’s other suggestion that this vote upset was a “Brexit tantrum.”The Londoner tried to contact Geldof this morning to see if he would like to repay the compliment. He’s yet to answer. However, Ben Goldsmith did email back, saying Zac would rise again and that he stands by his comments: “And I’m sorry but Sarah Olney is a dreary, identikit Lib-Dem. For what it’s worth, my tweet saying as much last night was before the result.” It won’t be the first time Lady Annabel Goldsmith — after whom the Mayfair nightclub Annabel’s is named— will have had to console the men in her family about a loss. Her husband Sir James Goldsmith was the Marmite magnate who started the Eurosceptic Referendum Party in 1994, only to slink in with only three per cent of the vote in the 1997 general election, despite outspending both the Tories and Labour. Zac, who followed his father’s Euroscepticism, may have just discovered that it’s tricky being posh and populist. Thankfully he’s got an airport nearby to whisk him off to the Caribbean to recuperate.

Bit of a ’do with Profumos and Keeler

A remarkable anecdote from the Telegraph’s obituary of crimper Leonard Lewis today, following his death at 78 after a career of follicle landmarks. Lewis tended to the locks of Twiggy, Frank Sinatra and the Kennedys, and was so popular, he even cut the hair of love rivals. “I used to cut Christine Keeler’s hair, and also John Profumo’s wife Valerie Hobson’s,” he once said. “Neither of them knew the other had their hair done by me so we kept it quiet. But once all three of them came in — Profumo, Mrs Profumo and Miss Keeler — at the same time, so we had to put them on different floors. They never found out.”

Is Larry starting to feel hounded out?

Understated Chancellor Phillip Hammond is referred to ironically as “box office” Phil but he’s certainly had an impact on the Downing Street feline family. Hammond has recently moved into the flat above No 10 and he’s brought his dogs, pictured, with him — Rex, a Welsh terrier, and Oscar, a wire-haired dachshund. They must now share the street with Larry, top right, the chief mouser in No 10, and Palmerston, the Foreign Office cat. The Londoner has heard that introductions have not gone well. “Larry has very much had his nose put out of joint,” Steve Back, a Downing Street photographer, tells us. “Mrs Hammond walks the dogs each day and stays very much out of Larry’s way.” This isn’t the first time Larry has had to put up with a dog on the street — George Osborne used to reside with a Bichon frise called Lola. “Larry used to give Lola daggers across the corridor,” a former No 10 insider tells us. “I hate to think how he’s reacting to these hounds.” Larry has been in the job since 2011, and is known for his love of chillaxing, a trait he may have picked up from the former PM. But will this doggy duo force him into an early retirement? No, says our source. “Larry’s too tough for that.”

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THE Londoner was at City Hall for the Mayor’s Fund for London awards last night, which recognise those who have improved social mobility. The Employer of the Year award was presented to Network Rail by Rajesh Agrawal, deputy mayor for business. As the train company’s representatives headed to the stage, Agrawal said “Glad you got here on time.” We trust they found a seat too.

Be as glam as Sam Cam

THE Londoner was at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair for a Christmas party held in partnership with luxury leather goods brand Smythson. The topic on everyone’s lips was Ceffin, the new clothing range from Samantha Cameron, Smythson’s creative consultant.“I’m really excited to see it,” Brown’s heiress Lydia Forte said. “I think she’s been wanting to do it for a really long time — now she finally can. She’s got great style!” Nicole Bahbout, whose father Jacques Bahbout owns Smythson, was even more effusive. “She’s finally doing what she’s amazingly good at,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what comes out of it. I know she’ll do fabulously well.” But will this mean she’ll be leaving her Smythson role? “No! She’s still sticking with us and we adore her! She’s an integral part of our team.” Two jobs Sam?

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Put-down of the day: Last night former Home Secretary Alan Johnson called Nigel Farage “political herpes” on Question Time. Well, he has gone viral.

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