Ukrainian president left in departure lounge by Blair
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Print
Email
* Tony Blair is so busy leaving "the crowds wanting more... [being] the star who won't even play the last encore" - to quote the leaked words of his own No 10 advisers, who last year suggested his victory tour of the nation and appearances on Blue Peter, Songs of Praise, etc - that he has committed a grave diplomatic snub (something else for Gordon to sort out).
The Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko, the poisoned leader of Ukraine's 2004 "Orange Revolution", was expecting to meet our outgoing Prime Minister today for tea, nibbles and a nice photocall to boost his "democratic" credentials.
Unfortunately, Our Tone is in Washington saying goodbye to George Dubya - and appears to have forgotten to tell Yushchenko not to bother coming.
"Due to an unavoidable change in the British Prime Minister's foreign travel plans," says a Ukrainian Embassy official, "the British and Ukrainian sides have agreed to postpone a working visit of the President of Ukraine to the United Kingdom on [16 and] 17 May."
An "unavoidable change"? Blair has known for weeks that he was off to Washington; you don't just rock up in America and drop by the White House. Yet a Ukrainian diplomatic source tells me that No 10 only called Yushchenko to tell him not to bother catching his flight at the weekend.
"The President was going to meet Blair but Blair cancelled on Monday - very late," mutters the diplomat. "We have postponed it for an indefinite time. We consider this very unfortunate."
Does Blair care anymore?
* What do you do when you live in a luxury high-rise apartment tower in central Manhattan and you can't argue with your neighbours over the height of their leylandii? You have a spat about their smoke-belching fireplaces, of course.
Bono, the U2 frontman and former editor of The Independent, is embroiled in a dispute with several other residents of the stunning San Remo Towers block, overlooking Central Park. He has complained that smoke from their chimneys is drifting into his $15m (£7.5m) penthouse, home to his wife Ali Hewson and four children.
Bono approached the residents' committee in a "nice" manner, apparently telling them: "Listen... it's emptying into my apartment and I can't have smoke like that." The use of fireplaces has been banned - upsetting those who enjoy them.
His management said it is "not a Bono issue, it's a building issue about health and safety".
* Like any megabucks organisation, the Church of Scientology has proved that when it comes to the Machiavellian world of public relations, it can compete with the craftiest of them.
On Monday, the BBC broadcast an explosive Panorama programme on the controversial "religion"/cult, after an investigation by reporter John Sweeney.
But on Sunday, the Beeb found itself wrong-footed when footage was leaked to the internet video site YouTube of Sweeney impersonating (his words) "an exploding tomato", shouting at a Scientology official. The "Church" also claimed that the BBC organised an anti-Scientology rally. The corporation rigorously denies this.
PR world whispers highlight the handiwork of the former Sun editor-turned-spin doctor Stuart Higgins. Over to Higgins: "I can't discuss clients."
* Is Gordon Brown planning a trip to Iran soon after he crosses the threshold of No 10?
Aides insist not, but the diplomatic rumour mill is whirring, driven by the presumption that the Chancellor will want to make his mark on Britain's foreign policy when Tony Blair leaves. His number two problem, after Iraq, will be how to curb Iran's nuclear programme before the situation becomes critical. It has not gone unnoticed in the Persian Gulf that "Ayatollah Jack" Straw (so-called for his frequent visits to Tehran as Foreign Secretary) is Brown's campaign manager.
The Iranians certainly don't seem opposed to the idea. Says a senior Iranian diplomat: "A visit by Mr Brown to Tehran would be very wise."
* The Conservatives deployed their former SAS toughnut MP Andrew Robathan yesterday in a bid to sabotage John Prescott's farewell performance at Prime Minister's Questions. Robathan had an unusually prominent position on the green bench, two places from David Cameron's stand-in, William Hague.
The reason for the promotion was Robathan's talent for sending Prezza into spasmodic rage. The pair share a legendary hatred: Robathan has pursued an enthusiastic interest in the DPM's shortcomings, reporting Prescott to the Standards Commissioner for his complicated domestic arrangements. Prezza once erupted in the Commons tea room after Robathan asked him to stop using his mobile phone, reportedly screaming: "He thinks we're all troopers!"
Did Robathan enjoy winding up Prezza yesterday? "What an extraordinary thing to suggest!" he laughs. "I couldn't possibly say. Although I admit that I hold the man in extremely low regard and I think he has debased politics."
