I’ve just returned from the Salute To Israel parade, which was a hugely enjoyable and successful day. A personal highlight for me was meeting one of my favourite authors, Howard Jacobson. He was every bit as funny and brilliant as I hoped he’d be. I told him about Not In My Name, the new book I’ve co-written with Julie Burchill, and he said he totally shares our contempt for those who marched against the liberation of Iraq under that ridiculous slogan. His exact words were: “When I saw those marchers I wanted to kill them with my bare fucking hands!” Steady on, old boy!
Still, it was great fun to meet him. Unlike when I met Martin Amis – another of my heroes – some years ago. That was a hellish experience. Not through any fault of his, merely because my nerves completely overtook me.
