It was frustrating to have to leave the Gladstone Club’s summer Pimms and canapé party on the terrace of the National Liberal Club just as the guest speaker, Michael Crick, was about to perorate. It would have been interesting to hear his take on recent events at Westminster, without the editorial control of BBC2’s Newsnight. But I had agreed at short notice to meet and talk with a group of opposition MPs from Turkey over a dinner in Wapping, organised by the London-based weekly newspaper for the Turkish community in Europe, Avrupa. There are said to be up to 300,000 Turkish nationals in London — half of them registered with the Turkish consulate — living, working or studying here, not to mention all the additional Turkish Cypriots. So there is a big community in London with whom Turkish politicians can engage, as well as promoting — or not — their country’s accession to the European Union. Moreover, whatever the politicians’ political colour, they are keen for Britain and Europe as a whole to have a fuller and more accurate picture of realities in Turkey.
The rich cultural diversity of London is one the capital’s greatest assets. But it also means that there is so much going on that is impossible to keep tabs on every community, or even to attend all the functions and conferences one gets invited to as a journalist and/or a politician. I often feel torn in different directions, so I think cloning may be the only answer.
Link: www.avrupagazete.com and http://gladstoneclub.org
Jonathan Fryer 