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Telegraph

Free The Donald

The talk among Maga supporters at Turnberry Golf Club this week was whether Donald Trump should be offered the freedom of the City of London on his State visit next month. The Honorary Freedom has never been awarded to a sitting US president. One City figure tells me: 'This would be a unique honour, and it is tied to our history with a focus on trade.' But the Corporation of London sounds lukewarm. A spokesman says: 'By convention, only heads of state or government who have served a minimum of seven years in office are eligible to be considered for the Honorary Freedom.' Any decision must be approved by the Court of Common Council, he adds, and it will not meet until next month. Surely this is the time to waive conventions? False flag I was one of the lucky reporters in the room when Donald Trump met Sir Keir Starmer at Turnberry on Monday. It felt like our PM was visiting Trump in the US, even though we were in Scotland. And no wonder: the US flag was flown on the left of the Union flag, meaning that the Stars and Stripes was 'the senior national flag', according to guidance from the Flag Institute. Was this a diplomatic snub? Joanna's marriage secret Dame Joanna Lumley has been married to conductor Stephen Barlow for almost 40 years, which has ensured that barely any modern-day pop music is played behind closed doors. 'I'm married to a classical musician, so we don't really have popular music in the house very often,' the Ab Fab actress, 79, explains on Radio 2. 'I stopped at about The Everly Brothers, really.' Awks in Ambridge Snogging your girlfriend in Ambridge is 'horrendously awkward' says Taylor Uttley, who plays Brad Horrobin and is in an air relationship with Mia Grundy on Radio 4's The Archers. He says: 'You have to time a kiss on the back of your hand at the same time, relative to the same microphone. So you have to look between you and go OK 'one, two, three and then do that'. That's awful.' Awks! Tarrant's TV exit Former Tiswas and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter Chris Tarrant does not miss being on TV shows. He says: 'I spent 50 years on them. I'd rather be fishing or going somewhere nice with my old lady or my kids.' Tarrant says he is still asked to do 'dreadful things' including The Masked Singer. But he says. 'It's a naff idea. I can't believe they make it. And what's next? You know, The Masked Chef, The Masked Knife Juggler. What else are they going to do?' Tarrant adds: 'My missus says to me 'It would reignite your career' but the last thing I want to do is reignite my career. I'm trying to stop.' Shy Michael Former Conservative MP Sir Michael Fabricant has hit back against campaigners who want to cancel naked bike rides which happen in UK, Birmingham and Cardiff. 'These are just a bit of fun,' Fabricant, 75, told the BBC. 'These are fairly innocent events. If you don't want to see bits and pieces wobbling around, don't look.' The nearest Fabricant got to riding naked was when he was cycling alone for charity. He says: 'I had tiny little shorts on or I would have been arrested.' Why so modest Fabbers? Cleanshaven Philp Shadow home secretary Chris Philp shaved off his beard before the last general election, prompting speculation that it was a turn-off for voters. 'No, that is not true,' he told me on GB News' Chopper's Political Podcast. 'I did suffer a backlash on the beard, but it came amongst others from my 12-year-old daughter and unfortunately, faced by a backlash from my 12 year old daughter, the beard had to go.' Travelling light Peterborough readers have been sending in their packing tips for travelling light, following actor Nigel Havers' example. David Shaw tries to 'halve the amount of clothes and double the amount of money' he is taking just before he sets off, while Michael Weeden said: 'I can think of nothing more efficient, than going to a naturist resort and packing just a bottle of good sun cream.' John Turner was so inspired he wrote a long poem, ending: 'So, now I've made a rational decision/whenever I go wandering from home./ Be it Blackpool or Bahamas,/ I have had my share of dramas;/ It's pyjamas, a toothbrush and a comb.'