The first Boris at 10 Downing Street

The 'Dear Bill' letters were a regular feature in Private Eye throughout Margaret Thatcher's years as prime minister.

Purporting to be the private correspondence of her husband Denis, they gave an inside view of life at 10 Downing Street. 

The Bill of the letters was generally taken to be William Deedes, the editor of the Daily Telegraph and former Conservative minister.

If Denis wanted to know what was going on he would seek out the mysterious Boris. He was generally to be found in the cupboard under the stairs talking to Moscow on the radio.

Over a snifter of his mother's plum brandy, Boris would fill him in on the events of the day.

Now we have another Boris at number 10 and today the son of a KGB officer took up the peerage that this Boris has awarded him.