This government has often been accused of cronyism but ministers can't have friends in all places, as work and pensions secretary James Purnell discovered during his stint at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
In an interview with men's glossy Arena, Purnell has revealed the indignity of being refused entry to a nightclub in his Greater Manchester constituency because he was - like any trendy London type - wearing trainers.
"I was minister for licensing at the time," he recalls. "But I couldn't very well say: 'Do you know who I am?'."
Very admirable. But all was not lost."We went to another pub and did what I think is called 'the train', where I stood in the middle of people with proper shoes and we all went in really fast and hoped they wouldn't notice."
My mates have always favoured the black socks pulled over the trainers approach, but each to their own...
