On the steps of the presidential offices in Kigali, sheltered by a pergola from the burning midday sun, David Cameron turned to face a Rwandan television reporter. First, she wanted to know about his efforts to out-trump Labour on international development, and then she asked: “What do you have to say about continuing with your visit to Rwanda when part of your constituency is currently devastated by floods?”
The Conservative leader is not the first, or the last, politician to travel abroad and be dogged by questions on the home front; he might, however, be forgiven for not expecting a curve-ball to come from the direction it did.
A burst of surprised laughter went through the British media. With Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, by his side, the Tory leader smiled wanly and dead-batted the question.