BLACK DOG: Dave puts his foot in it again

By BLACK DOG FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

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David Cameron ordered his Cabinet to be on their best behaviour before last week's Syria vote. 'Choose your words carefully,' he told them gravely. 'Do not say or do anything stupid which could be exploited by Jeremy Corbyn.' 

David Cameron ordered his Cabinet to be on their best behaviour before last week's Syria vote but didn't follow his own advice

David Cameron ordered his Cabinet to be on their best behaviour before last week's Syria vote but didn't follow his own advice

Pity the PM didn't follow his own advice. A few hours later, he had booted the ball straight into his own net by branding opponents of air strikes 'terrorist sympathisers'. No wonder his cheeks flushed crimson during the Commons debate as speaker after speaker demanded an apology.

 

There's nothing like diving in at the deep end, as ex-spy and Home Office mandarin Charles Farr discovered when he took over last week as chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, the body which oversees spooks for the PM. Within 24 hours, Farr had signed off Cameron's controversial claim about there being 70,000 anti-IS Syrian fighters. It was immediately disowned by MoD top brass, making Farr look like a proper Charlie.

 

'A lock-in!' Flint gets the party started...

MPs who poured into a crammed Strangers' Bar after the Syria vote late on Wednesday evening were told to hush by a Commons flunkey with the words: 'When you finally leave, please be aware that all of the main entrances are shut because of anti-war demonstrators.' The throng cheered as party-loving ex-Labour frontbencher Caroline Flint shouted: 'It's a lock-in!'

Caroline Flint shouted: 'It's a lock-in!' when told that all of the main entrances of Strangers' Bar were shut because of anti-war demonstrators

Caroline Flint shouted: 'It's a lock-in!' when told that all of the main entrances of Strangers' Bar were shut because of anti-war demonstrators

 

The anti-war mob besieging Westminster failed to ruin a magical carol service held at St Margaret's, the Commons' parish church, on Wednesday evening for the Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope charity for child amputees. Reading from the Gospel of Luke, Chancellor George Osborne summoned up his deepest baritone to drown out the racket of the megaphone-wielding protesters outside. The carollers triumphantly outsang the chanting mob, too.

 

Zac fights a losing battle

Tory London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith is trying to get match-fit for next May's contest by giving up smoking – a battle which even Zac doesn't think he will win. 'I have been giving up smoking since I was 14,' he sighs.

Zac Goldsmith is trying to get match-fit for next May's contest by giving up smoking

Zac Goldsmith is trying to get match-fit for next May's contest by giving up smoking

 

As the Guinness flowed at the Irish Embassy's Christmas party on Tuesday, Ambassador Daniel Mulhall made a bid to turn the Celtic ballad-singing MPs and newshounds into pro-Europeans. 'My aim is to keep this party in London,' he said. 'But be warned: if you vote to leave Europe, future events will be hosted in Brussels or Berlin. And you'll have to buy your own drink.'

 

Ten years ago today, Mr Cameron defeated David Davis to become Tory leader – and time has not been a great healer. A decade on, the two men are still slugging it out like a pair of ageing prize-fighters. Davis was one of just seven Tories who rebelled against the Government over Syria, and he is planning fresh assaults on the PM over Freedom of Information and human rights. Seconds out, round 11!

David Cameron

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