EXCLUSIVE: The David Davis Campaign Last Supper

A couple of nights ago Andrew Mitchell (DD's Campaign Manager) organised an excellent dinner to say thanks to all those of us who worked on the David Davis campaign. It was held at Gran Paradiso in Victoria and attended by thirty or so MPs and staffers. It can fairly be said that a riotous time was had by all, although perhaps not on the scale of a night out at Annabels. Moving swiftly on, the evening started with a drinks sesh which was dominated by discussions about why Derek Conway was the only person present without a tie. There were also musings about the absence of stalwart supporter David Ruffley, until some unkind wag pointed out there must be a Cameron Campaign dinner on at the same time. The meal itself was regularly interrupted by paper darts flying across the table from the direction of Eric Forth. I speculated that this was a particularly untimely occasion to be securing 30 names. Much tutting all round. Andrew Mitchell made a hilarious speech laced with gallows humour. He showed us a Christmas card he had received with the message A Christmas & New Year Message to All Conservatives from Bob Geldof. Inside were the words FUCK OFF! Andrew was followed by DD who took the Geldof story on a stage further. He too had received the card and thought it a little odd, to say the least, so he called Bob Geldof on his mobile and Bob denied all knowledge. Indeed, he wasn't best pleased that someone should impersonate him. So they collectively decided to report the matter to Inspector Knacker of the Yard. Only later did it transpire that one of DD's chief MP supporters, and a particularly gifted user of Photoshop, was to blame. Quite how true the bit about reporting it to the Police was, I'm not sure - or, quite frankly any of the rest of it - but it gave everyone a good laugh. DD issued a rallying call to everyone to ensure that David Cameron received their full support and this received a genuine cheer. He ended up proposing a toast. Everyone raised their glasses. "To the end of Blairism," said DD. "To the end of Blairism," bellowed everyone else. "Especially in the Conservative Party," shrilled Eric Forth! You just can't keep a good man down! I left at around 11.30, but I'm told a dozen of them were still to be found guzzling at 2.30 in the morning. Good job Andrew Neil wasn't there or Christ knows where they would have ended up...

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