Londoner’s Diary: Stanley Johnson’s plans for a new book on Boris

Today’s Diary: Stanley Johnson proposes book on Boris / Kate Moss’s coke cans / Pitt admits to lazy acting / Reni Eddo-Lodge sees success of activism / Was Truss really loyal?
Robbie Griffiths21 July 2022

BORIS Johnson’s writer father Stanley yesterday revealed his plans for a novel about his son’s defenestration from No 10. Stanley was attending the Boisdale Editor’s Lunch and Awards, where he railed against a “hidden hand” which caused “ministers all of a sudden to say ‘Forget about Tory party rules... we’ve got a wonderful scheme for getting rid of a Prime Minister’”.

The words echoed a speech by Boris in Parliament about the “deep state” this week. Stanley said his son’s fall made him think “maybe there’s a new novel in the offing”, with the provisional title Summer Madness.

Speaking to the surprise of organisers, Stanley got a mixed reception: he was at times drowned out by jeers from diners including critic Tom Parker Bowles.

Kate Moss creates Diet Coke cans

Diet Coke's New Creative Director Kate Moss Unveils New Limited-Edition Designs In London
Dave Benett

NEW Diet Coke creative director Kate Moss posed with Drag Race star Bimini Bon Boulash at an event in Temple last night to celebrate four new can designs she has made, inspired by her fashion over the years. Moss showed the crowd her favourite leopard print coat, formerly owned by US singer June Carter Cash, that “some ex-boyfriend bought for me”. She then pinched a photographer’s camera to take a group snap. Presenter AJ Odudu and Coke’s Omar Sadiq-Baig also attended.

Pitt admits to lazy acting

"Bullet Train" - UK Gala Screening - VIP Arrivals
Dave Benett

BRAD Pitt was on typically cool form at the Leicester Square premiere of his film Bullet Train last night. The actor has said he’s in his “final semester”, so The Londoner asked what he’d like to do before retiring. “I don’t know about roles,” he said, but he’d love to work with “amazing directors” Paul Thomas Anderson and Bong Joon-ho. Pitt admitted he’d not read the book the new film is based on. “I’m such a lazy, lazy actor,” he said.

Eddo-Lodge on the anti-woke Tory hopefuls

Amaal Said

WRITER Reni Eddo-Lodge, who wrote the bestseller Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, thinks the Tory leadership hopefuls’ obsession with “woke” ideas shows the “success” of anti-racism activism, which is now seen by some as a threat. She’s also concerned: Eddo-Lodge told an Intelligence Squared event last night she fears a clampdown on free speech and restrictions on her work, should “certain people” become ministers.

How loyal is Liz Truss?

Jacob Rees-Mogg said too many civil servants are still working from home (PA)
PA Wire

JACOB Rees-Mogg says he’s backing Liz Truss for PM over Rishi Sunak because she was more loyal to Boris Johnson, with no “campaign” against her old boss. But Truss has reportedly been sounding out support for a leadership run for some time, holding “Fizz with Liz” champagne events with MPs for months.

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