An update on the football match between the England and Scotland
parliamentary teams, which I told you about in last week’s diary.
It seems The Communication Group’s John Arnold was not the only lobbyist
roped in to boost the ranks of English and Scottish MPs at last week’s
match in Queens Park Rangers’ stadium. Westminster Strategy deputy
managing director Mike Lee found himself playing against Arnold, for the
English team. And Philip French, communications head at the Football
Trust, was captain of the English side.
The Scottish side was boosted by the presence of former Scottish
international goal keeper Alan Rough and former rugby international
captain Gavin Hastings, now a PR man himself.
The Scots were winning two-nil until 12 minutes before the end of the
game, when Andy Burnham, administrator of the Government’s football
taskforce, equalised with two goals. Then England won on penalties.
Which makes a change.
Despite losing, the Scots played host to the post-match celebrations,
which took place in the rather formal surroundings of the Scottish
Office’s Whitehall address. ’A fine time was had by all,’ according to
Lee.
All, that is, except Arnold, who returned to the Tory party conference
in Bournemouth straight after the match, nursing bruised ribs.
