October 7, 2025 — Back in 2015 I published Entry #004 into Sometimes Weekly: the time a Lord of Parliament jokingly offered me a bribe. That story, given its early placement in the history of Sometimes Weekly, has served as an important cornerstone for this publication.
It was the first in what would become a series of communications from high-ranking politicians and socialites who accidentally emailed me, intending to reach a different and much more British Nick Butler, whether it was to set the dress code for a secret society or share a simple Christmas card.
At the time of publication and ever since, I’ve withheld the real name of the Lord of Parliament who accidentally emailed me. Today, however, I will share his name, and honor his memory.
Lord David Lipsey, who was kind enough to exchange a few emails with me, passed away on July 1st, 2025 while swimming in River Wye.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer led tributes from the Labour Party saying Lord Lipsey “worked tirelessly for what he believed in” and will be “sorely missed” by all who knew him. The Guardian published a long and fascinating obituary and, I must admit, I didn’t know the full credentials of the man I was exchanging small-talk with.
The interactions I had with Lord Lipsey were, of course, entirely coincidental, but they were always positive, and so I wanted to publish those exchanges in-full, here, for the Back Row of History.
We exchanged emails on three occasions: when he emailed me by mistake in 2012 and 2013, and when I emailed him asking for his thoughts on Donald Trump’s candidacy for president in 2016.
Here are the full exchanges between me and Lord David Lipsey.
SUBJECT: (No Subject) November 18 – 21, 2012
Nick:
Does the name [Jane Lastname] mean anything to you from BP perchance?
Best
David
UK Parliament Disclaimer: This e-mail is confidential to the intended recipient. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. This e-mail has been checked for viruses, but no liability is accepted for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.
David,
I don’t believe that I’m the Nick Butler that you’re looking for, I’m afraid you have the wrong email address.
Best,
Nick
So sorry and bemused.
D
It’s no problem at all. As an American student studying political science it’s quite a thrill to receive an email from a member of Parliament, even if it was an accident. Best wishes,
Nick
Thanks Nick. “My” Nick Butler is also now an academic, running a department which studies public policy at I think University College London, having got v high in BP – also for 30 odd years Treasurer of the Fabian Society! Where are you and what is your speciality?
Best
David
I’m a second year student at the University at Albany in New York, concentrating in American politics. I’m pretty involved with the student government here on campus and I hold a national position in the College Democrats of America.
It’s rather interesting that you emailed me because I’ve always had an interest in British politics, having watched many Prime Minister’s Questions in my spare time. It’s interesting to see the contrast to American politics, which tends to be much more to the right.
What about you? What’s your specialty, and why did you decide to go into politics?
Nick
Very interesting Nick, and good that you are active in politics.
I’ve actually just written my autobiography “In the Corridors of Power” so if you are not careful I will suggest you take it out of the library. I went into politics when tiy, as successively special adviser to our socialist guru and foreign secretary Tony Crosland, and then adviser and speechwriter to prime minister James Callaghan.
I then had 17 good years in journalism, finishing as political editor of the Economist before going into the Lords.
I am interested in the question of how right-wing America really is. The tea party and the Republican right get a lot of coverage here, but every time they select a rightist candidate for president, with the exception of Bush who hid where he stood, they get a drubbing (not as bad of course as when the democrats choose a leftie – McGovern! Certainly the centre of gravity of British politics has swung a good deal to the right since the government I served – and now we want European levels of public service at American levels of taxation!
If you make it across the pond, come introduce yourself!
Best
David
SUBJECT: (No Subject) February 11 – 13, 2013
Nick:
Clearing out my junk mail I found one from you just saying you hoped we could accept your invite. Sorry but I don’t know to what this refers? Would you help please?
D
David,
I think you may have the wrong Nick Butler yet again—I’m guessing you want the Nick Butler from BP. If you don’t, then I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I hope you figure it out.
Best,
Nick
Oh dear so sorry. As it happens I saw the BP one last night who understood what I was talking about
David
It’s absolutely no problem at all. Honestly, any time I get an email from a member of Parliament, whether it’s by accident or not, it’s a thrill and something to tell my friends about.
Nick
Nick:
So long as the next one does not contain my detailed proposals for a BP bribe in return for my parliamentary services!
David
David,
Of course! If I were to ever get an email with those proposals, it’d still be a thrill for me … just not so much for you. But for the right price, I’d make sure it wasn’t something I told me [sic] friends about!
Nick
SUBJECT: Donald Trump March 7, 2016
Dear Lord Lipsey,
You may remember me as the ‘Nick Butler’ you emailed by mistake — I’m a political science university student from the United States. We exchanged a few brief emails a couple of years ago.
I remember you speaking about how absurd you found that someone like Sarah Palin could be popular here. With that in mind, I was curious about your thoughts on Donald Trump? He’s a sort of frankenmonster representation of the conservative movement here in the United States, I think largely created by the likes of Sarah Palin. I’ve heard that many people in Europe are afraid he may actually win — though his style of populist message has taken route in some European countries in recent years.
Best,
Nick
Thanks very much other Nick! Good to hear from you.
Well as you can imagine we are fascinated by Trump especially our media (which incidentally finds the distinction between closed and open primaries incomprehensible). The Republican party does this from time to time, go after someone unelectable because they think voters are like they are. But we cannot crow because the British Labour Party did just the same thing in choosing Jeremy Corbyn as its new leader with precisely the same likely eventual result – catastrophic electoral defeat. As I like rate hilary I should not complain.
Best
David
Very interesting. On the other side we have Bernie Sanders — a (“democratic”) socialist who, until recently, was seriously challenging Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. A socialist doing this well in America is unheard of, he’s really tapped into something with millennial voters. I think him winning the Democratic nomination would’ve led to catastrophic defeat against any Republican candidate — except for Donald Trump. It’s unfortunate he has started to fade.
Perhaps America’s flirtation with a socialist candidate signals things to come. Time will tell.
Very best,
Nick
The dissolution of class-based two party systems I think and perhaps fear!
D
March 7, 2016, 1:30pm