VisitEngland chairman Lady Penelope Cobham has been caught up in a tabloid story after her partner, former minister David Mellor, got into a row with a taxi driver.
The row, which has been splashed all over the newspapers today, happened on the same day as Lady Cobham had been awarded a CBE for her services to tourism.
The pair had climbed into the London taxi outside a restaurant in Marylebone High Street last Friday, hours after Lady Cobham had been to Buckingham Palace to receive her CBE.
The couple wanted to go five miles to St Katharine Docks in east London, but Mr Mellor got into an argument with the driver about the quickest route.
According to a secret recording of the row, which the taxi driver later gave to the Sun newspaper, Mr Mellor repeatedly swore at the driver, calling him a ‘smart-a**** little git’ and a ‘sweaty, stupid little s***’.
The Tory millionaire, who was forced to give up his ministerial career after an affair in 1992, then reeled off his achievements and told the driver to ‘get an education’,
“You’ve been driving a cab for 10 years, I’ve been in the Cabinet, I’m an award-winning broadcaster, I’m a Queen’s Counsel. You think that your experiences are anything compared to mine?” he was heard to say.
He accused the driver of ‘ruining his wife’s day’, although the pair are not married.
In response to the recording, journalist Piers Morgan tweeted: “This tape is outrageous. David Mellor, you’re a loathsome snob. I hope London’s black cab drivers now boycott David Mellor. Looks like he could do with a few walks anyway.”
Mr Mellor has apologised for losing his temper but said the driver had ‘seriously provoked’ him.
