This is the text of the remarks that Matthew d’Ancona, editor of The Spectator, delivered at the Spectator Threadneedle Parliamentarian of the Year awards lunch at Claridge’s Hotel.
My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon and welcome to the 23rd Threadneedle/Spectator Parliamentarian Awards. Yes, once again, this is the big one: the Oscars of Westminster, the Booker Prize of our lawmakers, the Blankety Blank cheque book and pen of the political cosa nostra.
First of all: thank you to Mark Malloch-Brown for lending us his study for the ceremony. Second: if any of you are feeling a little light-headed please don’t panic: this is due not only to fine quality of the wines, but also to the fact that for the first time at these awards we are all floating in cyberspace.
Yes, the Spectator is careering up the information super-bridleway and this ceremony is being vodcast live on new.spectator.co.uk to fans of British politics all over the globe.
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