Posted in: Comics, Current News, Pop Culture | Tagged: boris johnson, guido fawkes

A Cartoonist At The Guido Fawkes Twentieth Anniversary Party

A Cartoonist At The Guido Fawkes Twentieth Anniversary Party with Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, James Cleverly, Nigel Farage and Dominic Frisby

Ten years ago, I went to the Guido Fawkes 10th Anniversary party on Pall Mall, between Parliament and the Palace. I filmed a few bits and took a few photos, which, courtesy of the calibre of the guests and the letting-your-hair-down aspect of the event, went a little viral.

Last night, they did it all again, partly for the party but also to announce that Guido Fawkes blog founder and owner Paul Staines was to step down from running the site in favour of former employee and recently ennobled Lord Ross Kempsell. I was invited as the Guido Fawkes cartoonist, and though I do fear being out of my depth at such events, it remains a fascinating glimpse into a different and sometimes very weird world. I was in the belly of the beast. I don't always share Guido's right-wing libertarian political thrust, but I do share their attitude towards politicians of all stripes, as well as much of their approach to reportage, embracing the tabloid aspects. With a cartoon allowed and encouraged to have a rich variety of targets, often to enrage its audience… and to actually be read by the people it's about. Last night, plenty of my targets were in that room.

Ten years ago, the guest list was rather more across-the-floor than it was last night, and there were no Labour or Lib Dem politicians present, for example. But "three Conservative Party leaders, two former Prime Ministers, and two Reform Party leaders" was a Partridge In A Pear Tree verse I wasn't expecting. I didn't do any sketches, but I did find myself in a fascinating conversation between employees of the right-wing Spectator and left-wing New Statesman magazines who found a common cause. Was berated by one Conservative MP who was incensed by a cartoon I drew three years ago. I am still not sure which one. I did talk to Boris Johnson, and after sharing our common love, Tintin, I was delighted to discover he was a fan of my cartoons. I also talked to Liz Truss and was delighted to discover that she wasn't. This made the realisation that everyone at the event had posh calligraphy nameplates – aside from Liz Truss, who had seemingly been drawn on in Biro – even more delightful.

We had addresses from former Guido staffer Harry Cole, now political editor of the Sun newspaper. Followed by James Cleverly MP who, a couple of months ago, was the presumed favourite for the next Conservative Party leader, if it hadn't been for some tactical voting by Conservative MPs that had gone wrong. We heard from Paul Staines and Lord Kempsell on the event, which became part-roast, part-celebration, from a party still punch-drunk from the results of the General Election. All videos of which are below.

The host was my old friend Dominic Frisby, whom I have known even longer than Paul Staines, from his voiceover advertising days in the late nineties/early noughties. A stand-up comedian, he has taken his work, often of a libertarian bent, onto social media, the BBC, Channel 4, GB News, and more, and gained a lot of attention when his songs got retweeted by Elon Musk. Tonight, he went full throttle, with some old favourites and then others that, well, may have played better in some comedy circuits than in a room full of former Conservative ministers and MPs, but that just meant it was more hilarious for the rest of us. This was the modern-day equivalent of Peter Cook performing his impersonation of Harold Macmillan in front of Harold Macmillan, crossed with Jerry Sadowitz. And for that set alone, it will be a night we will never forget.

Use on request, credit appreciated. Talking of which, thank you, Christian Calgie for this shot…

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