Boris and the gipsies of Belgium

It’s the peak of the summer party season. Half a dozen events competed for the Westminster crowd last night. The bookies at Ladbrokes made themselves outsiders by holding their booze-up on a boat that cast off a tad too early in the evening. The Adam Smith Institute hosted a bash on the Thames, while a stuffy parliament office saw the Tory Awkward Squad raise a glass to David Davis. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Palace of Westminster, whisky cocktails flowed for the Ladies and Gentlemen of Her Majesty’s Loyal Press Corps, whose summer bash was sponsored by booze kings Diageo.

In the quiet surroundings of Dean Yard, a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey, the wonks of Policy Exchange were joined by a Pimms-fuelled Boris Johnson. He was introduced by Dean Godson, the new head of the think tank and a former colleague of Johnson’s at the Telegraph. Godson reminisced about waiting for BoJo’s copy, and did an uncanny impression of the blond bombshell:

‘Ummm, err well.