Boris Johnson with his new Carlton Club portrait
(Picture: TalkTV)Will Liz Truss get a portrait in Tory party stronghold the Carlton Club? Former PM Boris Johnson was at the St James’s private members club last night to unveil his own painting, right, given to most ex-Tory PMs. Thought to have cost tens of thousands, it was commissioned while he was still in power. After a speech, Johnson joked: “I was framed.”
We called the club this morning to ask if Truss will get a portrait, given she left No 10 after only a month. We were told the official line is “no comment”. Members of the Carlton, which was the first home of the Conservative party, may prefer not to spend money remembering her short reign. Johnson’s fall was hastened when then deputy chief whip Chris Pincher was accused of sexually assaulting two men at the club last June.
Harry struggles with Royal family tree
Prince Harry’s grasp of royal history seems shaky. In his new book, Harry refers to 15th-century monarch Henry VI as his “great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather”. But the pair have a looser connection, notes writer Kate Maltby. Lancastrian Henry VI lost the Wars of the Roses, and died with no heir. The throne has since passed through several families. A schoolboy error, or is the Spare claiming he’s the true heir to the crown?
City Hall splashes the cash
Eyebrows will be raised at a large salary bump for Sadiq Khan’s Night Czar Amy Lamé, whose pay packet has gone up by 40 per cent to almost £120,000 in the past year. Lamé was criticised during Covid for not helping London nightlife enough. The mayor’s office told The Spectator magazine Lamé has gone up two pay grades. She also works as a DJ on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Correction: an earlier version of this article said that Lamé’s job was only for 2.5 days a week, which was incorrect. The post has been full time since 2017.
Don’t turn off the taps, plea theatres
West End theatres have warned that the Government’s decision to wind down its support for business over energy bills is a “hammer blow” for the sector. They claim some London theatres were quoted 500 per cent hikes to their bills. Support will be reduced from April.
Last night in town
Writer Fatima Bhutto and film producer Jemima Khan were raising money for Unicef’s Pakistan floods appeal at Benares restaurant in Mayfair last night. They were joined by Mayor Sadiq Khan for a Michelin-starred dinner. England star rugby Maro Itoje launched a collaboration with design brand Sanderson at House of Walpole in SW1. At the Park Theatre, Emma Thompson and Greg Wise, and Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal looked loved up at On The Ropes, about the Windrush generation.
