It is an unexpected insight into a man who has made his name – and his fortune – creating a genre of hotels that is synonymous with cutting-edge design and an equally cool clientele.Schrager coined the expression “boutique hotel” after opening his first hotel in New York in 1984. Morgans Hotel proved that an establishment could be head-turning, rule-breaking and trendsetting – and still make pots of money. Beautiful waiting-staff are serving breakfast to beautiful guests in a scene worthy of a fashion shoot. However, the sunlit table at which the father of the modern boutique hotel, Ian Schrager, is seated appears to require a touch of airbrushing.
For there, beyond the diaphanous curtains, the vase containing a single red rose, and the green fruit drinks served in shot glasses, something is ruining the picture of perfection.

It’s business as usual at the Sanderson Hotel. Does she feel under pressure from Downing Street?Mrs Beckett does not blink. Sitting back in her armchair she declares calmly: “I have a very good relationship with Alan [Johnson - Secretary for State for Energy and Industry] and his department. And I have a good relationship with No 10.”With the nous of a seasoned political campaigner, she has neatly side-stepped the question – without quite denying it.The CV* Born: 15 January 1943, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester* Education: Engineering apprenticeship; Manchester College of Science and Technology* Career:Metallurgist at Manchester University1970: Research assistant for the Labour Party1974-79: MP for Lincoln1976: Minister for Education and Science1983: MP for Derby South1997: Secretary of State for Trade and Industry1998: Leader of the House2001: Environment Secretary.

She adds that nuclear power is not being considered in a review on climate change her department is now conducting. “All I am saying is that from my point of view our focus is on the climate change programme review. And once we can assess what comes out of that we can get a better idea of how we can move forward – and on a timescale that is not affected by nuclear power.”Mr Blair is said to have been twisting the arms of ministers to endorse nuclear power – despite widespread concern about tons of nuclear waste that have yet to be dealt with. With Downing Street and Mr Blair’s advisers pushing for nuclear power to be put on the immediate agenda, is a change of policy on the cards?”Well I don’t think there will be a White Paper on nuclear power next week,” she replies, provocatively. She stresses the technological breakthroughs by US firms and advances on green cars and even emissions trading.

After last week’s meeting with Mr Blair, President Bush surprised the world by expressing enthusiasm for soya bean-fuelled cars “That was a new one on me, I must admit,” says Mrs Beckett. She was equally surprised by a plan announced last week to spray sheep’s urine into exhausts to reduce harmful emissions. “The mind does boggle!” she says.Yet there is another form of technology for tackling climate change that Mrs Beckett is not entirely sure about. President Bush referred to it as “clean nuke” at his press conference with Mr Blair. Downing Street is also reported to be enthusiastic about nuclear power. But Mrs Beckett expresses caution – raising potential problems such as what to do with nuclear waste, public opinion and the level of public subsidy.She is adamant that nuclear power is not the answer to reaching a target to reduce carbon dioxide levels by 20 per cent by 2010 – a target the UK is now on course to miss. “It is extremely important for us to focus on what are the things we can do between now and 2010 and 2020,” she says.

“Absolutely no one disputes the fact that there is no way that a new nuclear power station could contribute to meeting that target by 2010.”She says the route to follow is “energy efficiency, use of renewables”, although she says the Government has “always kept the door open” to nuclear power in the long term. “There is no secret that we would like America to be more engaged,” she says. “But it is also no secret that we are working with them to try to make progress on the shape of a kind of future dialogue. And we are working with them on new technologies and we will continue to do that.”Sitting in her ministerial office, where even the tiles in the corridors are made from recycled materials, she laughs when asked if the UK is “pushing” America to go further on climate change “You probably ought to ask them that,” she says. “But I suspect the answer might be yes.” After a considered pause, she adds: “We are trying to work as co-operatively as we can with them.