In the final volume of his diaries, he recounts a meeting with 'Britain's famous Swedes' and the former PM's liking for olive oil
Our wives
Thursday 24 January 2002
TB asked how things were with [partner] Fiona [Millar], and I said not good. He said I had to involve her more but also be nicer to her. He said … he had realised with Cherie that it was really hard for her. We were blokes, he said, and we were doing big difficult jobs and taking a lot of heat all the time. So we felt CB and FM ought to realise that, because they lived with us, … and be totally supportive and understanding. … But it was hard for them too, and we had to do better at understanding that too.
Ulrika and Sven
Saturday 8 December 2001, Richmond Desmond party
Chatting to Ulrika Jonsson [right, TV presenter] and Melanie Cantor [her agent] and Ulrika was all over me like a rash, which was all very well but Fiona was a few yards away and looking a bit askance. Sven [Göran Eriksson, England football manager] walked in, and I assumed she would know him. I asked her if she had met 'Britain's other famous Swede'. She said no, and I got him over and introduced them. He was pretty robotic when the four of us were talking in English, but then the two of them got going in real hurdy-gurdy [Swedish] and he was altogether more animated.
Friday 19 April 2002
Mirror led on Sven's [Göran Eriksson] affair with Ulrika [Jonsson], which was truly gobsmacking for all sorts of reasons. I told a few people in the office that I had introduced them [see December 8, 2001] and … not long after Tom Baldwin [Times] called to ask if it was true . I had told only a handful of people so it was extraordinary that he knew. I stalled and spoke to Melanie Cantor [Ulrika's agent] who confirmed that the [Richard] Desmond party was the first time they met, when I had been talking to Ulrika She said it was amazing but true. TheNews of the World was going to do something and the Mirror was basically a spoiler, her role having been essentially just not denying it. She said she had been amazed when Sven called her for Ulrika's number. The dreadful thing was that the FA was pressing him to put out a statement but it seemed Nancy [Dell'Olio, Eriksson's partner] hadn't known.
Ed Miliband his ex's wedding
Saturday 13 April 2002
[Adviser] Liz Lloyd's wedding, TB came to church service and briefly to reception where he did a nice little speech, referring to ghastly process of conference speech-writing and to our 'dysfunctional relationship'. Tim Allan [Campbell's former deputy] and James Purnell [Labour MP, ex-Blair adviser] did a very funny song about Liz's past and Tim said the new people he worked for [in PR] were all totally indifferent to the fact he used to work for TB, but dead impressed that he worked for me. Most of the old office were there, and Ed Miliband turned up late for a while.
What Blair had on toast
Tuesday, 10 June 2003
I ran in, up to see TB and Jonathan in the flat. TB was in shorts and a T-shirt, making toast, though at least with marmalade rather than the usual olive oil.
What Blair thought of the cabinet
Sunday, 17 March 2002
TB had said to me earlier that there was too much knicker-wetting going on in the Cabinet. They had to get tougher.
On Jack Straw
Tuesday, 23 October 2001 on a flight to Washington
Jack travelled with his own polish and made a big play of shining up my shoes.
George W Bush
Thursday 20 September 2001, White House dinner
Talking about Uzbekistan, [Bush] said some of their people were 'throat cutters extraordinaire' then said don't write that down, then said if it ever came out he would say it was Powell.
Wednesday 17 October 2001, TB discussion with Bush
[Bush] switched between serious statesman and Texan redneck, e.g. after a discussion on public opinion in the Arab world, he said 'We got the asshole on the run and we're gonna get the bearded one soon.' He also said 'I ain't got much credibility on this peacekeeping stuff so I want those Scandinavians involved.' … TB called, plucking his guitar annoyingly.
On Thatcher
Wednesday 26 September 2001
Said Thatcher had gone off on one, said 'the English-speaking peoples' would have to win this … We will win this like you and I defeated socialism.' TB replied he would have to give her exclusive credit for that.
Friday 19 October 2001
Thatcher told him – 'Germans are big but feel so guilty they don't use their power, can't trust the French, Italians only good for clothes, Dutch most like us but too close to the Germans. But I do like the Danes.' Read More
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