Londoner's Diary: William Hague’s in no hurry to vote in the Lords

Foreign affairs: William Hague
Dan Kitwood / Getty
27 October 2015

Heroics in the Lords yesterday as Lord Tebbit cancelled engagements, Lord Lloyd-Webber jetted in from across the Atlantic and Lord Carrington, 96, stirred to help prop up the Government in the tax credits vote — and Michelle Mone provided an uplift of one to the vote as well.

But The Londoner observed a few noticeable absences among the Tory peers announced this August. Where, for example, was William Hague? He was issued with his title on October 9 but has yet to be “introduced”, the peers’ equivalent of coming out at a debutante ball, which gives him the right to vote. Why the delay? Because, the Lords information office tells The Londoner, there was such a long list of new peers and only two could be introduced per day. Hague has booked his appointment in late November, giving him an extra month as a free man.

What convenient timing, as it turns out. Lord Hague, who can command speaking fees over £20,000 a time, had another appointment yesterday while the vote was going on. He was in Lisbon giving the keynote speech at a conference organised by accountancy firm KPMG called The Big Tax Conversation, subtitled Culture, Politics and Society: Where Next to Tax. Other attendees at this blockbuster tax conference included Natasha Kaplinsky, who was hosting the event.

The Prime Minister has been talking of dumping another 100 Tories into the Lords to ensure his legislation gets through. However, if the ones already appointed take up their seats rather than do things like address tax conferences, the final vote might have been a lot closer.

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A busy time at the Lords. The press gallery was officially revamped yesterday, partly to increase the number of seats. But the main reason was to ensure the Lords’ safety in the event of a plunging hack. Documents from June, when the changes were planned, quoted “the risk of falling from the press gallery” as a need for improvement. At least the Lords can now debate safely in the knowledge that journalists won’t fall from the sky.

Lloyd Webber and the tax credit vote

In March The Londoner reported that Andrew Lloyd Webber was making plans to retire from the House of Lords. After all, the peer is still rather busy with his composing career in New York, and had not voted since the same-sex marriage act in June 2013.

We were then quite surprised to see Lord Lloyd-Webber flying back from the US for last night’s vote on the tax credits bill, presumably summoned by Leader of the Lords Tina Stowell — he voted with the Government on both amendments.

They're up to speed at the RA

No one is better connected than businessman Sir David Tang (except, of course, The Londoner). So little wonder that he drew such a stellar crowd, including Tracey Emin and Princess Eugenie, to the Royal Academy last night to celebrate his 20 years of support for the RA.

Longleat heir Viscount Weymouth and his wife Emma, above, were on admirable form given recent headlines regarding Weymouth’s feud with his mother. Meanwhile, Eugenie, pictured right chatting to Tang’s wife Lucy, was also seen helping mum Sarah Ferguson put gel pads into her shoes. As for our own conversation with RA chief executive Charles Saumarez Smith, upon hearing who we were he enthused: “Ah, The Londoner, I always read that column, it’s very good.” Naturally.

Does this mean he’s decided to remain in the chamber after all, or could this have been his last vote? To quote John Prescott’s Twitter joke, we’re looking forward to hearing his new song, “Don’t Cry For Me Baroness Tina”.

They’re up to speed at the RA

No one is better connected than businessman Sir David Tang (except, of course, The Londoner). So little wonder that he drew such a stellar crowd, including Tracey Emin and Princess Eugenie, to the Royal Academy last night to celebrate his 20 years of support for the RA.

Longleat heir Viscount Weymouth and his wife Emma, above, were on admirable form given recent headlines regarding Weymouth’s feud with his mother. Meanwhile, Eugenie, pictured right chatting to Tang’s wife Lucy, was also seen helping mum Sarah Ferguson put gel pads into her shoes. As for our own conversation with RA chief executive Charles Saumarez Smith, upon hearing who we were he enthused: “Ah, The Londoner, I always read that column, it’s very good.” Naturally.

***

Who says the book industry is in trouble? The Londoner hears from a local bibliophile that Taschen in Chelsea, the luxury book store in Duke of York Square, had a visit on Saturday from an individual asking to buy the 264 books in stock. The staff, after checking that they had heard correctly, started bagging up the items — they range from tomes on David Bowie to model Gisele Bündchen and the great Baroque painter Caravaggio. It hasn’t sunk in for manager Nolan Browne. “I’ve scored some big deals before,” he said, “but we’re even out of bags.”

When Carney was left holding the baby

Women in business are often asked how they juggle motherhood with corporate life. Men in the same field may not have to answer such a question but that doesn’t mean they don’t have to multitask on occasion.

Mark Carney
Getty Images

Mark Carney Governor of the Bank of England, was at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge last night to introduce an Imperial College Q&A with Ben Bernanke, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve who had to deal with the 2008 crash, and explained that the pair go way back. “Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about Lehman Brothers,” Carney recalled. “I was at home babysitting. I had a two-year-old wrapped around my ankles. But her crying at least drowned out [the rabble-rousing of then presidential candidate] John McCain.”

The elevating Economist

In August, British publishing company Pearson sold its 50 per cent stake in The Economist for £469 million, with the family who founded Fiat picking up the lion’s share.

The magazine won’t change but its home will. The publication is abandoning its office in the Grade II listed, New Brutalist fortress in St James’s, worth £150 million. So where is it heading? The only way is up. The Londoner hears that the magazine, headed by Zanny Minton Beddoes, pictured, could be joining Tiffany & Co and Al Jazeera up the Shard. If one of its staff members has a pair of binoculars, they could train them down on the neighbouring Baby Shard, where Rupert Murdoch’s empire — News UK — moved earlier this year.

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