PeterUK
December 17th, 2009, 11:47
I'm currently reading the volume covering Clark's years in power in the Thatcher and John Major governments from 1983 to 1992. He stares out from the cover looking like the classic bounder. The diaries are very non-PC and very funny. He has the true diarist's gift of writing candidly and unselfconsciously. He also writes with surprising lyricism about the countryside. Here is a brief extract which made me laugh out loud. In October 1986 he went as Trade minister on a trip to Budapest and met a banker called Fekete at an embassy dinner. He writes:
'Fekete told me a wry tale of when (Janos) Kadar had invited him to join the Government as Finance Minister.
"Janos, you ought to know that I played a part, as a boy, in the '56 uprising. There may be papers on file, photographs."
"My dear fellow - what does that matter these days?"
"And also that my mother has Jewish blood..."
"Quite unimportant. Quite unimportant."
Kadar paused for a little while, stroking his chin, then, "What was that you were telling me about the '56?"'
'Fekete told me a wry tale of when (Janos) Kadar had invited him to join the Government as Finance Minister.
"Janos, you ought to know that I played a part, as a boy, in the '56 uprising. There may be papers on file, photographs."
"My dear fellow - what does that matter these days?"
"And also that my mother has Jewish blood..."
"Quite unimportant. Quite unimportant."
Kadar paused for a little while, stroking his chin, then, "What was that you were telling me about the '56?"'