Getting one’s priorities right

Date: 27/06/1996

Commission President Jacques Santer's press spokesman Klaus Van Der Pas learnt that you should not mix business and football last week.

He came down to the European Parliament's press room to announce the Commission's agreement on a framework plan to end the beef crisis, right in the middle of the England-Holland game.

He entered a conference room where a large television screen had been lowered to allow the hacks to watch the game undisturbed. The room was in darkness and tension was mounting.

Klaus let it be known that he had an important message about beef in our time, but nobody wanted to know. He was told, in several languages, to go away.

“Perhaps we had better do this briefing outside,” he commented and crept out, gamely announcing his news to the handful of dedicated scribes prepared to put news before football.