Les Rosbifs get one over on the French

The Diary loves to knock the French. Well, who doesn’t? But the French keep knocking back. Beating England at football, pretending not to crow about Iraq, profiting from the CAP… it’s Gauling, to say the least.

But take heart: the Diary has combed the world to bring you news of a small victory, from the La France Expose trade/consumer fair in Beirut. The Lebanese capital’s swanky Rue Foch was lined with stands advertising French staples such as cheese, cosmetics and cigarettes. Centre stage was the extra-large stand of the organiser, Publicis.

The stand featured large screens, showing a speech by Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and trumpeting the agency’s services. The screens were, of course, subtitled and voiced-over in la langue mère…English, of course.