Squire Swire!

I note that Hugo Swire MP, 50, has been appointed Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office. He used to be a director of Sotheby's, the famous auction-house in Bond Street.

Bill Montgomery, at Grey Abbey, springs to mind. He has been Sotheby's representative in Northern Ireland for many years; so I'm sure he'll know the new Minister.

Councillor Danny Kinahan MLA, formerly Christie's representative and whose family seat is at Castle Upton, also probably knows Mr Swire who used to work at the National Gallery in London.

Swire married Alexandra (Sasha) Nott, the daughter of John Nott, the former Secretary of State for Defence in December 1996, at Kensington. The couple have two daughters (born June 1997 and August 2001).