Stout party revived
THE HEROES of the meetings are John Foulds and Mike Blackburne of the Halifax Bank (late building society). Like the rest of us, they had been looking forward to the party traditionally given by the British ambassador (or, here, the consul-general) for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England. Last week I was dismayed to report that it had fallen victim to the Treasury's own short- sighted notions of economy. The men from the Halifax leapt into the breach, tucked the white rose of Yorkshire in their button- holes and gave the party themselves, with the Governor as guest of honour. I did not see Gordon Brown, but his predecessor, Kenneth Clarke, was there to maintain the tradition. As I warned Mr Blackburn, the Halifax has now established a tradition of its own. Alternatively, and in time for next year's meetings, he should become York- shire's ambassador to Washington.
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