Number Plates News

A Weapon of Mass Embarrassment

11 December 2009

It seems that former UK prime minister, Tony Blair, is being haunted by the spectre of a red Ferrari which is parked everyday outside his swish London residence in Connaught Square.

As if intended to serve as a constant dig at the retired politician, the vehicle displays the registration 1 RAO which, even without the help of a conveniently placed fixing scew, clearly shouts the word 'Iraq' at him every time he leaves his house.

'RAO' number plates date from 1955 and were first issued by Cumberland County Council. The DVLA say that this particular combination was originally a diplomatic plate, although it was subsequently sold at one of their own auctions, in December 2003.

None of Blair's neighbours are prepared to admit ownership of the vehicle and some insist that it belongs to the Iraqi embassy, who make no comment on the suggestion.

It seems more likely, however, that this is a stunt staged by someone waging some sort of personal vendetta. The car has started to appear, rather like the ghost of Hamlet's father, only since the start of the Chilcott enquiry into Britain's involvement in the recent Middle-Eastern conflict.

Though clearly aware of the potential embarrassment, Tony is reportedly not amused and reluctant to make any comment. Perhaps a good course of action would be to make a witty rejoinder with the splendid TBL 41R plate that Regtransfers.uk has waiting just for him, before another joker parks a car with W10 OMD, cleverly incorporating both his former house number and the initials of the phrase some will consider to be his epitaph.

Oh yes, and two versions of the afore-mentioned Dane, HAM 13T and HAM 113T, are also available from the Regtransfers site!