The joke that stunted Alan Johnson’s career

To the Oldie literary lunch where Mr S dined alongside the magazine’s editor Alexander Chancellor and Alan Johnson.

Talk soon turned to Johnson’s former boss Tony Blair, as the Labour politician recalled a joke that backfired spectacularly.

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‘Probably the reason why I fell out,’ Johnson said, before stopping himself and tactically rephrasing. ‘Alex and I have been talking a lot about Tony Blair, who I tell a lot of stories about but they are all true and they’re said with affection.’

‘But Tony didn’t like it when, do you remember when he had that heart problem and he had to go in to have an operation? Well, I was at the Young Fabians do that night and just by way of a laugh I said “Tony Blair’s got a dicky heart but with Bill Clinton it’s the other way round,” and I think that cost me in terms of my political advancement.