Alan Duncan loses out (again)

To the Commons, where last night the cream of Westminster’s literary elite were sipping chablis and comparing book sales. Rising stars and old faces were among those turning out at the parliamentary book awards as Ed Balls, Mark Carney, Jess Phillips and Andrew Mitchell were among the political giants rubbing shoulders. The star of the night though was undoubtedly Sir Alan Duncan, back in parliament after two years away having, for some reason, not been given a peerage in the recent honours’ list.

The former MP is now trying to do for Bloomsbury what he did for Westminster by applying his political talents to the written word, having penned a series of remarkably bitter diaries last year that boasted more poison-penmanship than Jessica Mitford. Duncan, who was up for the award for ‘best biography, memoir or autobiography by a parliamentarian’ was spotted beaming with pride as the speeches began, standing near the front and clutching a copy of a pre-written acceptance speech.