I'm moving out, says Cook as he goes walkies

I'm moving out, says Cook as he goes walkies

By Richard Alleyne
(Filed: 02/04/2003)

Telegraph

Robin Cook was making the most of his last few days in his grace and favour London flat yesterday, walking his Scottish terriers in the private gardens overlooking St James's Park.

Politically isolated over his opposition to the Iraq war and soon to be leaving, he cut a forlorn figure as he strolled around his Regency home in Carlton Gardens, off Pall Mall, with Tammy and Tashka trailing behind.

The former Foreign Secretary and Leader of the Commons has been stung by criticism that he should have vacated the premises as soon as he resigned last month. He felt this was particularly unfair because, at the time, his "heart was full" with the death of his mother.

Yesterday he said that he had agreed to move out of the flat this weekend. He did not say where he was going, but it is likely to be his flat in nearby Pimlico which he bought when he was last a backbencher.

Mr Cook, the MP for Livingston, has lived in the elegant four-storey home for six years, since he was made Foreign Secretary when Labour came to power.

Tucked away in the heart of what has become known as "Ceremonial London", it is a short walk from the House of Commons and Buckingham Palace. With its five bedrooms, three bathrooms and enormous ballroom, 1 Carlton Gardens, has been the grace and favour home of foreign secretaries since 1945.

Surrounded by the clubs of St James, banks and royalty, there are few smarter addresses in the country. The home is thought to be worth almost £10 million. Despite being demoted to Leader of the House in the last Cabinet reshuffle, he secured an agreement with Jack Straw, who took over at the Foreign Office, to keep the three-bedroom flat on the top floor.

The unusual arrangement, which saw Mr Straw entertaining in the house where Mr Cook was living, led to jokes over the marking of milk in the fridge and locking of food cupboards. But Mr Cook's latest resignation over his opposition to the war in Iraq has brought the house share to an end.

Tony Blair and Mr Straw, who preferred to live in his home in Kennington, south London, agreed that he could stay until he found other accommodation, but others felt he should have been evicted at once as a matter of principle.

Alan Duncan, a Tory foreign affairs spokesman, demanded that Mr Cook be ordered out of the flat immediately because he should not be allowed to conduct his anti-war campaign at the expense of the taxpayer.

As he left the house yesterday to walk to the Commons Mr Cook said: "At the time of my resignation I agreed with Jack Straw that I would leave by the Easter recess.

"Last week was a difficult time entirely taken up by the funeral arrangements for my mother. I intend to leave by the weekend."

Mr Cook's rise and fall on the property ladder has mirrored his career. When he became Foreign Secretary he had the run of four properties - the central London house, Chevening, the Kent country house that also came with the job, a pied-a-terre in London, and his family home in Edinburgh.

The break-up with his wife lost him his £300,000 home, and his demotion cost him Chevening. Now with the loss of his Cabinet post all he and Gaynor, his former secretary and new wife, have left is the flat in central London.

But there is one glimmer of hope on the horizon. His salary may have plummeted by £70,000 but there are rumours that he is writing his memoirs. Conservative estimates put the advance £1 million.

The former Cabinet minister in charge of reforming the Lords said yesterday that he might become the next Leader of the Commons if offered the job.

Jack Cunningham, MP for Copeland, who left the Cabinet four years ago and is currently chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, said that if he was approached he would give the role "very serious consideration".

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