What an unusual night it was.
The British diplomatic service copes well with fast-changing plans… and for the staff of the British Embassy in Washington, from the ambassador to the chefs, Thursday evening was one to remember.
The (now ex) chancellor was in town for the IMF annual gathering. He’d already missed key meetings throughout the day.
I’d watched an aide, red government folder in hand, dash across the IMF atrium to tell organisers that Kwasi Kwarteng’s deputy would take his seat. Something was afoot.
By early evening the intrigue shifted to the British Embassy.
I joined a couple of hundred guests for a drinks reception hosted by the ambassador and the Institute of International Finance. The chancellor was the guest speaker.
He came, he spoke, he was confident, he was relaxed. But the dinner organised for later at the ambassador’s residence was off. The staff had been told to prepare drinks and canapés instead.
We journalists were encouraged to leave the reception and head to the residence. The chancellor had something to tell us.
And so, after a scuttle through the Washington rain from embassy to residence, I found myself listening to a chancellor – white wine in hand – reveal that he would be leaving the IMF on the red-eye flight to London.
Important talks on the fiscal plan, we were told.
Within 10 hours he’d been fired.
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Source: SkynewsBy Mark Stone, US correspondent in Washington DC