The New Statesman’s James Macintyre, a regular lunching companion of Derek Draper, has just rung up to ask some stupid questions.  One line of questioning was jaw-droppingly bizarre:

JM : Do you deny having links to the intelligence services?
GF : Errrm [bemused pause]. Do you know the name of the Israeli secret intelligence service?
JM : Mossad?
GF :  They are supposed to be the best in the world.
JM : Yes.
GF : Do you know the name of the Irish secret intelligence service?
JM : No.
GF : So why do you think Mossad are better?
JM : Right, but do you deny having links to intelligence services?
GF : You got me, I am agent 003 1/2 of the Irish intelligence service.  You are a total hoon* Macintyre.

It ended up in a shouting match.

UPDATE : Had Macintyre on the phone again. He says this is not accurate.  This bit of the conversation was only a small part of the conversation.  He, to be fair, actually tried 50 ways of asking the same stupid question for the most part.  He says that it was just being juvenile (really).  He also wants to make it clear that it was Guido who called him a hoon* and that could I stop mentioning he is a lunching partner of Derek Draper.  This clarification is to stop his whining.

*Euphemism employed.