Draper and the hooker
If Gordon Brown, or anyone else, needed to know about Derek Draper's sense of judgement before inviting him to Chequers, perhaps they should have read an article he wrote for the Sunday Mirror back in 1999.
Draper described in great detail 10 years ago how he had been sacked a few weeks earlier as a contributor for the radio station Talk Sport, after broadcasting live from a hot tub in an Amsterdam brothel, with a prostitute.
One unfortunate thing just led to another, Draper tried to explain to Sunday Mirror readers.
First, he'd had to stay overnight in Holland en route to Morocco.
Then, he asked a taxi driver to suggest a club he might visit, and ended up being driven to a high-class brothel, where he was befriended by a beautiful blonde called Claudia.
Draper took up the story:
"Eventually, after downing a bottle of champagne, she [Claudia] said: "Let's go upstairs."
I will be honest. I was tempted. Any bloke would have been - but I also knew I just couldn't do it. "I'm sorry, Claudia," I whispered. "You really are lovely but it just feels wrong."
"Then let's just talk and have a Jacuzzi," she replied. I hesitated, then emptied my glass and followed her upstairs. We drank, talked and laughed and then I remembered Talk Radio. I told her about the James Whale show and she urged me to call.
"I couldn't," I said. "I haven't even brought my mobile."
"I have one," she cried, and produced a Nokia from her handbag. We called the station, and the rest is CV history.
And, with phrases that ring awfully true today, Draper concluded his Mirror account:
"I thought in my naivety that this would all make excellent radio and great PR for the station. Little did I know that the next day I'd be fired."
Surely Gordon Brown and his friends should have questioned the judgement of a man who does all this? And indeed, the judgement of a man who goes on to write about it in a national newspaper.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 17th Apr 2009, streetphotobeing wrote:Dolly probably got fired because Gordon was probably in the tub with them.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 17th Apr 2009, barriesingleton wrote:LET'S GET PERSONAL AND STAY PERSONAL
Wedgie Benn sounds great when he mantra's: "It's the polisheish not the pershonalitiesh" in his affected manner. But he is not only VERY WRONG, his silly affectation tells us he is probably wrong about a lot else!
Let's now look HARD at Brown. A whole bunch of weird behaviour and now: 'by his friends shall we know him'. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT BLAIR AND HE PLOTTED NEW LABOUR, the most Machiavellian subversion of an ideal, since Lucifer tried to take over Heaven!
IT'S THE PERSONALITIES STUPID! Take a hard look at your local MP. When the blighter comes out onto your streets, purring, at the next election (not long now) NAIL 'EM! Ask 'whom do you serve'. Talk to the TWIT - the rosette aint listening. Make the cipher pledge to put constituency before party - record them on your camera.
Westminster is a non-representative club, not the governance of a representative democracy. Far from going into public life for US they go in to be 'somebody' without ever anyone finding out it they are (as so often) a NOBODY.
Ask not what Brown is doing to your Country - ask why we let his partner in crime, Tony, DAMAGE IT SO MUCH. Then expel Brown, Cameron, Clegg et al, for conniving at Westminster wickedness. What they have done is terrifying in its enormity - let's use the Terrorism Act and whack them a bit on their way.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 17th Apr 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:Remember folks, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 18th Apr 2009, JunkkMale wrote:On balance, and bearing in mind all is relative, maybe Mr. Draper seemed the best bet at the time?
I'll have to rethink what was/is meant now by the GOATs. I thought it stood for the 'Government Of All Talents'.
I used to joke that we seem to be run by a bunch of folk who are reported on by another crew, all of whom have pictures of each other in bed with a goat, and are hence all beholden to each other through fear of exposure rather than respect and sincere belief.
Maybe not the stuff of mere speculative humour* now?
*Hope this aside won't get this blog labelled as a hotbed of right wing tittle tattle. Well... actually, that would be funny, and ironic.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 22nd Apr 2009, GregPytel wrote:For insight on the financial crisis, please visit
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)