Many members, while deploring Irving's views, said club rules were designed to prevent unruly behavior, not to determine the political affiliations of its guests.

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London, Monday, September 9, 2002

Londoner's Diary

Renouf wins her battle to stay in Reform

MORE trouble at the Reform Club where Lady Renouf, Australian-born socialite and ex-wife of the late New Zealand financier Sir Frank Renouf, has come within a whisker of being expelled.

Lady Renouf, who is know to her friends as Michele, as ruffled feathers at the Reform especially among Jewish members, by entertaining David Irving, the writer and Hitler apologist, who denies the Holocaust took place in the club.

Last week the committee met to discuss her latest misdemeanour, writing letters in support of Irving to the Evening Standard on Reform Club writing paper.

She was saved from expulsion at the last minute by her friend Bob Worcester, chairman of MORI, who demanded her reprieve.

There were heated exchanges, I'm told

David Irving was banned from the Reform two years ago after a ruling which split the club from top to bottom. Many members, while deploring Irving's views, said club rules were designed to prevent unruly behavior, not to determine the political affiliations of its guests.

"I'm not allowed to comment," Lady Renouf tells me.

"We don't discuss internal club matters with anyone outside the club," says Robin Forrest, secretary of the Reform.

"I make my living asking questions, so I don't object to you asking about this," declares Bob Worcester. "But I never, ever talk about things that happen in my club. They're sacrosanct."

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  Radical's Diary: Two Legal Victories in England hint at Turn of Tide

  Reform Club, which banned Irving, puts his book in Library

  Protests as Evening Standard reports Mr Irving is to be barred from London's Clubland | His response | Greville Janner exudes more hate | Jews step up pressure to destroy Irving books: Harrow (London) withdraws Irving books after plea from rabbi