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Grounded

• Nick
• 17 Jan 08, 01:50 PM

HEATHROW, The PM's plane: I said that things happen on these trips....

We are grounded on the runway at Heathrow since all flights into and out of the airport have been stopped. Out of the window we can see why. A BA plane which has fallen short of the runway is surrounded by every fire engine here after what our pilot describes as a "serious incident".

It will take warp factor 4 for us to make it to Beijing on time for morning meetings with the Chinese hierarchy.

Update: Our plane is beginning a slow crawl to the runway. I suspect that others not travelling with the head honcho may face rather longer delays.

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All packed for China

• Nick
• 17 Jan 08, 11:06 AM

Passport in hand, iPod loaded, Bluffers Guide To The Emerging Economies ready to read. I am on standby for the prime minister’s trip to China and India.

No trip to these fascinating countries can fail to be interesting but recent political trips here have been truly memorable. Who can forget Tony Blair's first prime ministerial trip to China in 2003 on which he learnt - midair - of the death of David Kelly?

Or his second trip to Beijing in 2005 when Cherie sang When I'm 64 with a group of bemused Chinese students? Or Gordon Brown's high level diplomacy in the "in the Big Brother house?" Anglo-Indian row.

PS: I note that the PM did not, after all, use the ‘N word’ yesterday and suggested that the search for a private sector solution might yet take a few more weeks

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