Summit - No holiday
| 19:02 UK time, Monday, 16 July 2007
Well, the picture might look like Mark Devenport but it is his faithful colleague Martina Purdy who is blogging, while Mark is taking a well-deserved holiday. As for the BIC summit today, it might have looked like a relaxed day out, but my sources tell me it was anything but - especially at Sunday's rehearsal. Tensions were rife - and for once it wasn't our politicians who were niggling. It seems there was quite a bit of squabbling about who was doing what and where. One Stormont inside put it down to tensions between the Labour government and the regions (read Scotland and Wales.) At one point, the plan was that the BIC "family portrait" would have the Prime Minister, and the Taoiseach alongside Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness with the other regional ministers tucked in the back. But the Scots said a big "naaay" to that. And I'm told two feisty Scottish women officials insisted that the newly elected First Minister of Scotland was not taking any back seats. It was all worked out in another historic compromise. So that's why the historic portrait sees Alex Salmond and the Welsh Deputy First Minister smiling in the front row on the steps of the Great Hall alongisde Gordon Brown, Bertie Ahern and our own fair ministers. As Ian Paisley would say, peace perfect peace!
I'm 
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Martina says: " .... The prime minister even broke into twinkly laughter as Ian Paisley whispered in his ear. As Mr Paisley was busily pointing to the main chandelier in the Great Hall, one might assume he was recounting the colourful history of the ornament, a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm to the Royal Family. The present however was promptly hid when the First World War broke out with Germany. Windsor Castle only noticed it was missing in 1992 after the fire there. Its return was sought, but Stormont, where it had hung since 1932, refused to give it up. .... "
Let's have some more anecdotal stories like this one to brighten up the understanding of Stormont. Where would one have found a story like that? Has it been published before? What other titbits are out there?
Gavin
And how was Stormont able to say no to the castle (presumably proxy for the Queen herself)?
If the chandelier was put there by the royals for safe keeping, how is it not their property to be put wherever they like?
Not that I want them to have it. Well done to Stormont for standing firm!