Lure of Cheltenham - Cheeky Charlie ditches duty

EU COMMISSIONER Charlie McCreevy has a penchant for landing in hot water — especially when he leaves Brussels for the annual festival of racing at Cheltenham.

Seldom out of the headlines, the commissioner in charge of the internal market and services is being railed for not attending a meeting on the question of taxation of diesel fuel. Instead, he was indulging in the sport of kings.

Life would indeed be drab if we were all forced by the rigours of protocol to put aside our life-long passions.