Londoner’s Diary: Inappropriate touching claims hit Johnson book sales

STANLEY JOHNSON’S book sales have plummeted following recent allegations of sexual harassment. “It had a notable and immediate impact; reviews due vaporised; bookshop orders never happened,” says Johnson’s publisher, Todd Swift.

From An Antique Land launched weeks before the Prime Minister’s father was accused of inappropriate touching at Tory Party events by both MP Caroline Nokes and New Statesman journalist Ailbhe Rea. “It sells a few a day as opposed to dozens or more,” says Swift, who says he has had to ignore calls to cancel the book: “We have legal contracts and we need to respect the rights of all our authors to be innocent until found guilty.”

Stanley Johnson has so far only responded to the initial allegation, saying: “I have no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all.” But Todd adds: “Boutique presses are very vulnerable to situations beyond their control.”

At the October launch, Boris Johnson told us the 11th novel by his father was “a mixture of Wilbur Smith and JH Prynne”, while Johnson Sr told us it would be his last book.

Margolyes: I love writing to Charles

MIRIAM MARGOLYES would make a conflicted dame. “If I was offered it, I’d certainly take it”, she confessed. “And at the same time, I would say I disapprove of what I’ve done.” The actor, who was speaking at Damian Barr’s Literary Salon last night, also admitted: “I don’t write letters except to Prince Charles. I’m embarrassed in a way as a socialist to say that I love Prince Charles and he writes to me and I write to him.” Margolyes was tight-lipped on their content, however, saying: “He is a thoughtful man.”

She-Hulk Jamil’s period power

JAMEELA JAMIL wants people to pay more attention to periods. “There are certain seasons of your period in which you are extra able,” says the actor, left, who is in Marvel’s She-Hulk series. Jamil tells the Bookshelfie podcast she has been inspired by Maisie Hill’s book Period Power: “It’s made me wanna send Marvel my period schedule… Can I do stunts around this time, please?” A periodic timetable.

BBC struggling with wages drama

THE BBC is struggling to find staff for its productions as wages are spiralling upwards due to Netflix, Amazon and Apple, says director James Kent. “The BBC find it really hard to compete,” the Testament of Youth director tells us. “They have a very set income and television inflation is far above normal inflation and these wages are just fuelling the problems in funding British drama.” The result is that the BBC will have to increasingly rely on co-production to compete. Kent adds: “It’s really, really challenging … I’ve never known it like it is now.”

Fischer recalls a dark Christmas

JESS Morris and Jade Jagger partied at the Rockins Christmas Shopping sale last night, while at Claridge’s Charli Howard and Sophie Cookson attended a cashmere collection launch by Leith Clark x Madeleine Thompson. Meanwhile, at the Gentleman’s Journal party in Mayfair, The Londoner met singer Sam Fischer. He recalled a Christmas past. “My family stopped doing presents, my mum got rid of the tree.” Dark.

SW1A

DAME Margaret Hodge may be standing down after 27 years, but she’s not done yet. “I’m in Parliament for another three years and there’s lots to do,” the Labour MP tells us before teasing that she is feeling a bit more liberated. “I have always been someone who says it how it is. Now I can have fun.” Keir Starmer, beware.

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A TESTING exchange in the Lords this week. “My Lords, has the Minister ever tried to reverse a trailer?”, asked Lord Berkeley in a debate on HGV driving tests. “The noble Lord will be pleased to hear that I can reverse a trailer”, replied Baroness Chisholm. “I have been doing so from quite a young age, and quite successfully.”

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