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No 10 carol singers raise their voices to the (shoeless) saviour

By JAMES FORSYTH Last updated at 11:54 PM on 18th December 2011

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Downing Street staff were in festive mood as they gathered for their Christmas party on Thursday night. It was, as one put it, a much-needed opportunity to let off some steam. By the end of the evening, George Osborne, the Chancellor, was throwing shapes to, appropriately, Got Your Money by Kelis and MC Hammers You Cant Touch This. The Prime Minister and his wife, though, had headed upstairs to their flat before the State Rooms were turned into a dance floor.

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There was a musical flavour to the whole event. It began with a five-piece brass band playing while everyone munched on spring rolls and an assortment of finger food. Then the Downing Street choir started singing Christmas carols. The choir, bolstered by the presence of several choristers and featuring Camerons political spokeswoman Gabby Bertin, ran through all the traditional favourites before dragging Camerons senior adviser Steve

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Hilton up for their final effort. A specially adapted version of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

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Hilton is a technicolour character in this monochrome political age. He is renowned for wearing just what he wants in No 10, which rarely includes a tie or shoes. He is also the champion of Tory radicalism Thatcher in a T-shirt bringing him into regular conflict with the Liberal Democrats and the Civil Service. The new version of the carol, written by the civil servants in the Downing Street policy unit, poked fun at Hiltons tendency to wander round No 10 in his socks, his desire to change absolutely everything now! and his battles against restrictive health-and-safety regulations and employment laws. But the jokes were all taken in good part. This was perhaps unsurprising given that the Cameroons have plenty of reasons to be cheerful this Christmas. They find themselves in a position they never expected to be in at this point in the Parliament ahead in the polls. Crucially, the bad economic news doesnt seem to be hurting the partys standing. Cameron is also the only political leader with his party united behind him. His willingness to use the British veto in Europe has closed the dangerous gap that was emerging between him and his party. When the Prime Minister addressed Party pooper: Lib Dem Energy Secretary his reinvigorated backbenchers on Chris Huhne Wednesday night, he promised them a big speech setting out his thinking on the EU in the New Year. The Liberal Democrat side of the Coalition, however, is much less happy. At Cabinet last week, Nick Clegg told Tory colleagues that they had to understand how upsetting the veto was to the Liberal Democrats. He said it was as traumatic for them as joining the euro would be for the Tories.

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These sentiments were echoed by several Lib Dem speakers. One Tory Cabinet Minister remarks: The Lib Dems wanted to make us feel like they were the wronged wife, angry the Tory husband had gone out on the town and come home far too late. They wanted us to know we had to buy them lots of roses to make up for it. But after the other Lib Dems had spoken, Chris Huhne, the pugnacious and ambitious Energy Secretary, weighed in with a far more confrontational contribution. When Huhne repeatedly interrupted Cameron as he tried to sum up the meeting, the chief whip Patrick McLoughlin barked at him to shut up. One of those present says that from the body language round the table it was clear that Huhne wasnt trying to discomfort the Prime Minister as much as destabilise Nick Clegg. The future of the Coalition will turn, in part, on whether Huhne can succeed in doing that. The claws are out for Larry the No10 cat. Critics are claiming that he fought the Downing Street rat, and the rat won. Two scars on Larrys cheeks attest to this defeat, apparently.

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Their story is that the injuries were sustained when he managed to get himself stuck halfway up the Downing Street Christmas tree. They also argue that he cant be blamed for the number of mice in the Prime Ministers flat there are so many of them that they can be seen running across the Camerons sleek new cooker even as supper is being eaten because he is not allowed in there.

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When a couple of Shadow Cabinet members dined together recently, the conversational starter was: Have you come to the conclusion were going to lose the next Election? Milibands declaration on Friday morning that Labour holding one of its own seats in a by-election was a verdict on the Governments failed economic plan was a classic case of an embattled opposition leader clutching at straws.

It sounded all too like William Hague in 1997 claiming that his party holding Uxbridge in a by-election was a sign trust was returning to the Conservatives. Compounding Milibands problems are divisions over the policy review that is meant to craft the weapons with which Labour will fight the Coalition. One Shadow Cabinet Minister close to Miliband complains that the review keeps coming up with ideas that Ed just doesnt believe in, while a more Blairite figure says the leaders office is trying to sideline people like him from the process. However, those close to the man running the review, Liam Byrne, insist it is on track. One of Milibands closest allies says that in the New Year there is going to have to be a step-change, that the Labour leader will have to move very fast to keep up with the pace at which politics is changing. Miliband himself is keen to adopt a more insurgent strategy, speaking up against bad business practices and the like. The successes of his leadership have come when he has done this. Whether his brother, who dined with him on Friday night, will move to help him in this task, or stand back and let the grumbling get worse, remains to be seen.

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Comments (3)
Here's what other readers have said. Why not debate this issue live on our message boards. The comments below have not been moderated. Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated

So much for Christian values so they have taken a Carol about The Saviour Jeus Christ .. and augmented it to Praise Hilton Blasphemey.they really are evil.
- Crowley, England, 18/12/2011 23:23 Report abuse Click to rate Rating 1

That they adapt a carol in this way - which could be argued as blasphemous - and then publicise the fact (how else does Mr Forsyth know??) just shows Christian are their values, and how much they really think that this is a "Christian country"...
- cp, Kent Europe, 18/12/2011 21:38 Report abuse Click to rate Rating 4

We all know what will be in that speech, a flag waving load of nothing, designed to build his veto poll boost. He is making a mistake, going against his personal beliefs for a few worthless percentage points on YouGov. He will find out that "it is the economy stupid" that maintains electoral support.
- Jim New, Lewisham, 18/12/2011 12:17 Report abuse Click to rate Rating 5

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