Award winning raconteur, comedian, broadcaster and writer, Simon Fanshawe, was a smash hit at last weeks Labour Party fundraiser at the new Azur Marina in St Leonards.

Around 100 guests were treated to a top notch dinner of either Moroccan or Indian dishes followed by a variety of desserts. However, the real treat was yet to come and when Simon Fanshawe stepped forward he showed his reputation as an entertainer is well deserved.

Simon regaled the audience with hilarious stories and anecdotes from his 20 years as a speaker, writer and broadcaster.

One particular tale recounted was his experience witnessing Jeffrey Archer, the Tory peer jailed for perverting the course of justice, who, having been denied extra butter at a dinner responded with the classic line “do you know who I am?”. The doughty waiter replied “no, but do you know who I am?”. When the bombastic Lord Archer said that of “course I don’t” the waiter ended the conversation by saying “I’m the guy with the butter” before turning on his heel and leaving the dumbfounded Lord with not a jot of butter. 

Speaking after the event host Michael Foster MP said “It has been a fantastic night. The Azur is an incredible facility, the food was great and Simon showed why he is such a star. What’s more Labour politics can be a lot of fun too!”