The cat that got the Twitter cream

To Chatham House last night, where the international affairs think-tank hosted the launch of Naked Diplomacy by former ambassador Tom Fletcher. 

The tmne explains how social media and online platforms are changing the way in which diplomatic relations are carried out in the 21st century. Not surprising, then, to bump into Sir Simon McDonald. Though his title is Permanent Under Secretary to the Foreign Office, he is now famous for appearing in pictures with Palmerston, the cat brought to the department to sort out the mice problem. 

“He’s well!” he gushed when we asked for an update on the feline, who has proved so popular that House of Commons staffers are now calling for their own four-legged friend. “He’s caught nine mice [since April] — in fact he caught his ninth today. He’s very productive.” Evidently: Palmerston’s internally run Twitter account @DiploMog now has 14.900 followers, and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond complained in Parliament last week that he would be less popular on Twitter than the feline by the time summer recess starts. “I’m afraid [Hammond] brought more attention to it by mentioning it in Parliament,” McDonald smiled. 

But of other guests. Well-wishers also included Sarah Brown and US Ambassador to the UK, Matthew Barzun. “Any chance of a comment on the EU referendum?” we asked the latter. “No.” Oh well.

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Photo credit: Jeremy Chivers