So now the Government has given us Digby Lord Jones of Birmingham – or rather "Lord Rigsby" to his chums – the new Trade and Investment Minister.
But I am glad to hear that Diggers can still tell a story against himself.
Apparently he was phoned up by BBC radio programme Today in the early hours and asked into the studio – perhaps 4.30/5am, that sort of time.
They would send a car to pick him up from his London flat.
Some period later Digby gets another call – where is he? He is needed urgently.
But the car hasn't turned up, insists our hero.
The BBC make inquiries and it transpires that the vehicle has been and gone, so it is sent back for a second time.
Apparently the Polish driver of the Mercedes had stopped outside Jones Towers where a long haired – Digby has been growing his hair, no doubt in sympathy with his new 'socialist' chums – bloke in a baseball hat was drinking from a can.
"Are you Digby Jones?" asks the dim-witted driver.
"Yes," says the geezer.
So this semi-wino is chauffeur driven off to the BBC and, once the mistake is realised, back again.
Where he gets out of the car gleefully, with the escapade clearly the highlight of his life, to declare in amazement: "This fellow thought I was Digby Jones."
Pity he didn't make it on to air, I say.
I wonder if I can have a go at impersonating Digby.
Shave the beard off, create myself a bald spot, stuff a cushion up my front, and start burbling about China being ready to scoff our lunch and India our tea.
Easy really.
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Society photographer Tony Flanagan can wear the T-shirt with pride now.
The ubiquitous snapper has just had a full colour page of his pics in Hello magazine.
Seems he was invited down to London as a guest of PR scribbler Andy Skinner to meet Hollywood star and legendary man-about-town Jude Law.
“Jude”, as he now name-drops shamelessly, was launching the UK tour of Thula Sizwe, a musical production by the Young Zulu Warriors from God’s Golden Acre (www.godsgoldenacre.org) which is an orphanage and hospice in KwaZulu Natal which rescues young children afflicted with HIV/Aids or the victims of violence.
Jude and his ex-wife Sadie Frost are closely involved with the charity and spent last Christmas together with their children visiting God’s Golden Acre as guests of founder Heather Reynolds – a modern day saint that even Nelson Mandela looks up to.
Skinner, his distinctly better half Angela and her chum Stratford socialite Piera Braley were hob-nobbing at the event in South Africa House in Trafalgar Square with the great and the good.
Press attention on the event may have been due to the fact that arch spinner Skinner had issued a press release saying that Jude Law and Sadie Frost would be launching the Young Zulu Warriors’ tour.
Oddly for one besotted with accuracy, he omitted to mention that Jude would be launching the tour at South Africa House one evening and presenting the show at Clapham Grand Theatre another evening, while Sadie and her MAW (model…actress…whatever…) friends would be at St Mary’s Church, Bryanston Square, in London, on July 25.
Skinner says: “I even learned a few new trade terms. I was repeatedly asked whether the ‘Pen’ would be outside South Africa House or whether there would be one inside at the event. The ‘Pen’ is apparently where paparazzi photographers are kept – a practice that could easily catch on elsewhere, I shouldn’t wonder!”
So imagine the looks of utter hate our man Flan attracts as he blithely strolls in laden with three camera bodies, six lenses, myriad flash guns etc.
Skinner meanwhile is hosting a bidding war for the pics between Hello magazine and Warwickshire Life – eventually won by Hello, surprise, surprise – but then that’s chequebook journalism for you!
Piera suddenly switches into “maiden name” mode and starts chatting to Jude in her native Italian. Those present can’t vouch for it, part of the conversation sounds suspiciously like a phone number…
The parting shot is best left to Angela however. As they are leaving South Africa House, a young girl on the pavement suddenly screeches into her mobile “I’ve just seen JUDE LAW!”
“And we’ve just spent the evening with him, dear,” murmurs Ms South.
Post readers can catch Thula Sizwe at The Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, on July 28.
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KPMG's Daniel Champion (right) celebrates with teammates after hitting the last over four that gave his side a John Bright Trophy win against the West Bromwich Building Society at Britannic Park on Wednesday.
But at least the West Brom have finally managed to play a John Bright Trophy cricket match eleven weeks after the tournament started.
After suffering four trophy washouts, WBBS finally took the field at Britannic Park, Moseley, on Wednesday evening with the sun shining, but superb fielding and tight bowling restricted them to a modest 121/9 total against 2005 trophy winners KPMG.
Openers Lewis Soden (27) and Richard Evans (23), of KPMG, then added 52, but an Ian Spears hat-trick changed the game’s complexion. It needed an elegant unbeaten 36 by Mark Else to get the accountants up with the clock and Daniel Champion finally won the game with six balls to spare with an extra cover four that may well earn his side a semi-final place.
WEEK 11 RESULTS
July 10 – Wragge & Co 131/4 in 12 overs (K Gamble 36*, S Ahmed 2-15) Scott Wilson 101/5 in 12 overs (M Farooq 29). Wragge won by 30 runs.
July 11– West Bromwich Building Society 121/9 in 16 overs (R Swann 33, I Denning 28, D Champion 2-4) KPMG 123/7 in 15.2 overs (M Else 36 rtd, I Spears 3-9, R Swann 2-14). KPMG won by 3 wkts.
GVA Grimley 141/5 in 16 overs (J Sandry 36 rtd, R Shipton 35 rtd, M Creighton 2-9) Pinsent Masons 124/8 in 16 overs (R Stockton 36 rtd, J Sandry 2-11). Grimleys won by 17 runs.
July 12 – Drivers Jonas 142/5 in 15 overs (M Lathwood 35 rtd, H Law 22, J Dale 2-16) DTZ 138/7 in 15 overs (E Gamble 37 rtd, A Berry 30, P Law 2-17), Drivers Jonas won by 4 runs.
Challinors 151/6 in 16 overs (A Thompson 36 rtd, O Ajaib 33, A Wallace 2-22) No5 Chambers 124/7 in 16 overs (A Wallace 22*, O Hussain 2-0, I Akhtar 2-11). Challinors won by 27 runs.
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Soon there will be no halting the soaring ego of Birmingham Chamber spin doctor John Lamb.
It follows a fashion shoot at the Mailbox for Midlands business magazine BFM in which the ex-hack is seen around town in the company of ITV Central presenter Llewela Bailey. How did it happen?
Well, it seems that two years ago, at a Christmas bash organised by Lloyds TSB, John was named as Birmingham's best-dressed journalist – though admittedly the selection was announced through a haze of Champagne bubbles! He's been dining out on it ever since. But whether he will make the pages of The Tatler remains to be seen!
Lord Lamb is normally confined to modelling his "sack of potatoes" suits in Horts wine bar in Edgbaston, the chamber media team's sub-office.
Mind you, it seems fashion shoots hide a multitude of sins.
It is alleged that in true Hollywood style Llewela kept everyone waiting an hour and a half while 'putting on her make-up'.
And the Lamb suits were held together with pins while tape was spread over the underside of his expensive shoes to ensure they were not marked.
And how the lad hopes to get a Harvey Nicks collection of £650 suit, purple Armani shirt at £100, £60 pink tie by Paul Smith, and £235 shoes by Oliver Sweeney through expenses one can only hazard a guess, expert in such dark arts though he is.