What message is Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office sending the world these days? First came the shambles at the EMU Brussels summit, when their presidency forgot to organise a dinner for the finance ministers, and refused to brief any "foreign" (i.e. not British) journalists. Then, at last weekend's G8 summit in Birmingham, they, uniquely, insisted on charging the media for phone calls, even local ones. They did on this occasion, however, provide a meal - bangers and mash - for lunch three days in a row, which almost equals the fish and chips available at the city's previous big shindig, the Eurovision a couple of weeks earlier. Our Department of Foreign Affairs should take a large bow for their performance during our EU Presidency. Saddest of all, however, was the G8 concert attended by all of the world leaders except President Yeltsin ("Boris Nikolai is tired and needs to rest in his hotel," said his suave spindoctor).
While all of the performers were British - Jules Holland, Mick Hucknall, All Saints - the jazz, rhythm 'n' blues and soul they sang was American to the core. Bill Clin- ton must have been further mystified when they produced a black gospel choir towards the end. It is hard to imagine say, France, Italy or Ireland squandering such a chance to showcase its native culture. Could it be that the FCO looked into the barrel and found it empty? Perhaps not quite: the concert went some way to redeeming itself with its finale, a rousing rendition of the old Beatles' number All You Need Is Love. Quite.