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The Londoner: Chuka Umunna steps up new party plans

Labour MP Chuka Umunna has long been known to be champing at the bit with plans to set up a new political party, believing that he and Chris Leslie MP could be the answer to the woes of those who feel unrepresented by Corbyn’s Labour or the Conservatives.

The Londoner hears, however, that those plans have been stepped up a notch irritating not only Labour’s shadow Cabinet, but Umunna’s colleagues at the People’s Vote campaign who do not want him to distract from their plan to secure a second referendum.

The CNP — “Chuka’s New Party”, as it’s teasingly dubbed — is supposed to be secret and yet is the object of constant gossip in Westminster. Those MPs who want a referendum frequently question whether that poll will be allowed to happen before the launch of the CNP. One Centrist Tory MP, told us: “If after Theresa we choose Boris as leader, I’ll be joining Chuka’s new party”. A senior Labour MP says: “I am told it will be launched any day — but then I’ve been told precisely that for months, so I am no longer sure what’s going on”. Those close to Umunna say he believes he could lead — pied piper-style — tens of Labour MPs away from the Corbyn Project.

But those close to the Labour leader predict that Umunna, left, could only draw off “about eight, maximum” which, they say, “would not be the end of the world. We would survive.”

Some organisers at People’s Vote, however, are deeply anxious that Chuka will launch the CNP before Labour decides on the referendum — because that would seem to confirm Jeremy Corbyn’s worst fears that the referendum push is all a Blairite conspiracy.

Yesterday Conservative fans of People’s Vote Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston said they would resign the Tory whip if Theresa May chose a no-deal Brexit as the official Government policy. Two new recruits for the CNP?

Sources close to Umunna say “how on earth… in the middle of this s*** show” would he have “the capacity to set up a new party?” They add that for him, fighting Brexit is the priority.

Campbell sees claret

Happier times: Alastair Campbell smiles at a Premier League match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in 2017 (Ian MacNicol/ Getty Images)
Happier times: Alastair Campbell smiles at a Premier League match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor in 2017 (Ian MacNicol/ Getty Images)

Alastair Campbell was in the press box at Wembley on Saturday, commentating on Spurs v Burnley for Clarets Player, an online platform for Burnley fans around the world (yes, apparently). When Christian Eriksen scored an injury-time winner for Spurs, Campbell went the full Malcolm Tucker, slamming the table to punctuate each expletive and dislodging the cable linking the commentary box to listeners’ devices. By the time his co-presenter had repaired the damage, the final whistle had gone. Listeners were left with Campbell’s abject apology. This Saturday we hear he will commentate on Burnley v Arsenal.

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Poet Clive James, who is terminally ill, recommends “imminent death” for writers as it “concentrates the mind wonderfully”. James has survived longer than expected after a leukaemia diagnosis in 2010. “I’m either reading or writing,” he tells Front Row in an interview, “What else am I going to do? I’m not going to go out and ride my bike.”

Eugenie rounds up the Calthorpe clan for shark fin film

Shark concerns: from left, Isabella Calthorpe, John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon and Cressida Bonas (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Shark concerns: from left, Isabella Calthorpe, John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon and Cressida Bonas (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

It’s a small, small world in London’s high society, as last night’s charity film premiere at the Curzon Soho proved all too well. Princess Eugenie joined pal Cressida Bonas for a screening of Sharkwater Extinction, which exposes the illegal shark-finning industry, with Cressida’s half sister, Isabella Calthorpe, who is Prince William’s rumoured former crush. Eugenie was, of course, responsible for introducing Cressida to her other cousin, Prince Harry, and the pair dated for two years. Cressida was at her ex’s royal wedding this summer, but displayed no awkwardness; after all, it must be hard not to bump into your exes with all those family ties.

The Calthorpes are good friends with Richard Branson’s family, and Isabella attended the premiere yesterday with her husband, Branson’s son Sam. Poldark star Gabriella Wilde was also at the event, but then of course, she is Isabella Calthorpe’s half-sister and Cressida’s “unofficial step-sister”. We hope that’s clear.

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Party Pieces, the Middleton family’s party supplies business, is advertising a range of personalised birthday cakes, and the example on their website reads: “Happy Birthday! George is 6!” It’s a sweet coincidence: Prince George will indeed turn six in July, but not before Charlotte and Louis have their own big days.

Big in ra-ra Russia, Boney M's Soviet pact

Boney M’s Liz Mitchell is reminiscing on 40 years since Christmas hit Mary’s Boy Child. Mitchell, from Harlesden, was lead singer of the group who became a surprise hit in Russia. “We received a personal invite from President Brezhnev to perform there, which no other Western act had previously done,” she recalls.

“We played 10 packed-out shows at the Kremlin in just seven days, and only discovered later that everyone in the crowd for the first three nights was a politician, who had all had come from the nine time zones across the country.” There were, she adds, heaps of caviar.

From Russia with love: Boney M on tour in 1980. (Peter Bischoff/ Getty Images)
From Russia with love: Boney M on tour in 1980. (Peter Bischoff/ Getty Images)

Quote of the Day

‘I don’t know who this guy is, but … great’ Donald Trump’s view on Jeremy Hunt the first time he met him, as recalled by the Foreign Secretary last night

Warm introductions: Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt hold bi-lateral talks with Donald Trump at Chequers in July (Getty Images)
Warm introductions: Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt hold bi-lateral talks with Donald Trump at Chequers in July (Getty Images)

SW1A

Sir Andrew Mitchell told the PM on Monday that it would be better to extend the Article 50 date for leaving the EU, rather than crash out with a no deal. She replied: “I don’t think it’s right to seek that.” But The Londoner learns Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s chief of staff, has spoken to Cabinet ministers, including Damian Hinds and David Lidington, about seeking such an extension saying: “We may need to do this.” A source tells us Barwell’s reason for the extension is “part of his second referendum discussions” (although May is adamantly against this too). Asked what the mood is like inside No 10, our source says simply: “S*** show.”

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Trick up her sleeve: Baroness Fox
Trick up her sleeve: Baroness Fox

Martha Lane Fox, crossbench peer and founder of Lucky Voice karaoke, asked on Twitter for recommendations for the sing-along slot she is planning when she guest edits the Today programme on December 27: “Anarchy in the UK?” suggested one wag.