Monday, March 27, 2006

EXCLUSIVE: Simon Hoggart Has a Snooze

Simon Hoggart is a very great man, and I count him as a friend, so what follows is written with great affection! Sketch writers take great pleasure in pointing out MPs who take the opportunity of a post prandial snooze on the green benches, but today during Defence Questions it was poacher turned game keeper. Tory MPs were much amused to observe The Guardian's sketchwriter extraordinaire catch a few zzzzs during Dr John Reid's tour de force. "Simon looked like a benign toby jug," said my MP snout. "We love him to bits but it did destroy our concentration a little." I wonder if he'll mention it in his sketch tomorrow!
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

He didn't, as far as I can see.

Iain Dale said...

Message for Andrew. Yes, I did delete your comment. And I haven't allowed your follow-up one through either due to a potentially libellous accusation. It is very rare indeed that I censor anything people post on this site, especially if someone puts their name to a post, but in the end I reserve the right to do so. I haven't got the text of your original post so I can't go into detail about the reason I didn't allow it through.

Andrew said...

Hi Iain. Thank you for replying. I merely suggested, in a light-hearted fashion, a possible reason for Mr. Hoggart's alleged torpor - nothing libellous at all, given that he confessed all himself (after threatening to unleash his lawyers, as any honourable journalist would, natch!) to The News of the World, as reported in the Daily Telegraph of 20DEC2004.

Given his statement and the lack of subsequent legal action I think you and I are very safe from any risk of legal action with regard to my Private Eye style puerility, which, in my view, is quite in keeping with some of the more jocular posts and comments that comprise your much appreciated diary.

I hope you will consider this comment more favourably!