London - Foreign Secretary Robin Cook would not be taking his partner, Ms Gaynor Regan, on an official trip to Washington and Ottawa, Downing Street said last night. There also appeared to be a questionmark over whether the woman for whom he ended his 28-year marriage would accompany him to China and Hong Kong.
Mr Cook announced on Sunday that he planned to marry Mrs Regan after he had divorced his wife, Margaret. There were widespread expectations that she would travel with him, and there was immediate speculation that Downing Street had put its foot down.