From ‘Love Actually’ to political dramas

Leo Varadkar’s first visit to London as Taoiseach was an occasion on which to show authority, writes Michael Clifford

LET’S hope that Leo Varadkar spotted more than just a movie prop from Love Actually on his visit to Downing St last Monday. The new Taoiseach’s starstruck comment about descending the stairs at No 10 in the footsteps of Hugh Grant was misjudged.

Varadkar’s first visit to London as Taoiseach was an occasion on which to show authority. It was a time to show battered Old Blighty that this young, confident country, led by its young, confident Taoiseach would be no pushover. Or at least throw a few shapes in that direction, even if nobody really believes it.