Sky News' chief political correspondent Jon Craig has blogged about yesterday's Parliamentary Press Gallery Lunch Club bash which was addressed by David Cameron.
Craig says: "It's always fascinating at these lunches to see who journalists take as their guest. We're each allowed one. (Mine was a distinguished former Fleet Street political editor and Conservative Party spin chief.)
"Rory Bremner was guest of David Hencke, a Guardian veteran, former Press Gallery chairman and now freelance commentator for Tribune and other fine organs.
"The oddest of odd couples at the Cameron lunch was the pairing of Michael White of The Guardian and Andy Coulson. After all the bile The Guardian has thrown at Andy!"
A total non-story on Craig's part. As he knows perfectly well as a former chairman of the Press Gallery, these apparently strange couplings are organised by the Gallery to ensure that key political staff are able to accompany their masters on such speaking engagements. Andy Coulson would have been required to attend the lunch in his capacity as the Prime Minister's Press Secretary, irrespective of whether anyone had actually invited him to it. If no-one had done so, he would be duly allotted to a senior hack - probably a past Gallery or Lobby chairman - who was themselves without a guest and was happy to do the honours. Step forward, in this instance, Michael White.
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