Nov 21 2007 Gordon Brown. Good days, bad days
Dinner with Gordon Brown at The Dorchester. How cool does that sound? Nights like that remind me how privileged I am to be editor of The Liverpool Echo.
Brown is far chattier and clubbable in the flesh than he appears on TV. I think Blair was a cold interior with a nice, warm facade. Borown is the opposite.
He answered faithfully, the questions from me and my fellow editors - Chatham House Rules prevent me gong into any meaningful detail.
Suffice to say he is briefed extensively on local issues - gun crime in Liverpool is clearly something he understands, even if he is struggling to find the answers.
Walked through Protman Square post-dinner to an all-night chemist to buy some paracetomol.
A young lady engaged me in conversation. How pleasant I thought, naively. 'Would you like a nice massage?' she enquired.
At this point I twigged.
It did occur to me to say: I'm sorry, I'm on my way back from dinner with the Prime Minister and I'm rather tired.'
But I didn't. In time-honoured journalistic fashion though, I made my excuses and left.
Lynne struggled yesterday. She has good days and bad days and I'm worrying that the bad days are increasing in frequency.
She begins new medication on top of the chemo next month.
Fingers crossed.
