Roll up for Whitehall's Europe bazaar

Peter Hain has already done his travelling salesman bit

By Ollie Stone-Lee BBC News Online political staff

The colourful scene made Europe Minister Peter Hain looked like a stallholder flaunting his wares at a street bazaar.

The throng around his podium as the Foreign Office opened its doors to the public for Europe Day were engaged in a scramble for multi-national freebies.

Mr Hain's words of welcome at least quelled the scramble for tapas around the Spanish table beneath the multitude of flags amid the imperial splendour of Whitehall's most imposing building.

It was perhaps a suitable atmosphere as Mr Hain tried to sell the importance of the European Union to people's lives.

Travelling salesman

The minister has already proved his worth as travelling salesman through his nationwide tours to promote British involvement in Europe.

Now - for one day only - he was opening up his office as a drop-in store as Europe's ambassadors to London hovered behind him like an expectant sales team.

"We are opening up the Foreign Office to the people," Mr Hain proclaimed.

The throng of visitors jostled for freebies

"We are all Europeans. We are proud to be British. We are proud to be Europeans as well."

Mr Hain said a new Europe was now being built - a Europe for the people.

The foreign office ministers are obviously taking their European responsibilities to heart.

'Sun and fun' offers

Mr Hain proudly announced he was learning German and his boss, Jack Straw French - earning applause from the German and French ambassadors.

Most of the crowds who took the chance to see inside the grandiose Foreign Office were more concerned with the stands put on by the various EU member states or those hoping to join.

Romania was extolling the joys of "sun and fun" on the Black Sea, while one of the Greek stands was decked with four bottles of what looked like wine.

The Foreign Office building spruced up for the event

But many of the visitors seemed to welcome the chance not only to get inside the majestic corridors of government but to discover more about Europe.

Thirteen-year-old Anthony Tran said: "It is good to see the culture of all the different countries."

That view was echoed by some of his classmates from Sacred Heart School in Camberwell, London.

Sight-seeing

But they admitted the best thing about the trip was having their picture taken with ITN newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald.

Sir Trevor was there as an ambassador of language learning - a role which must make people feel for his son, who was sitting his French oral exam on Thursday.

When I asked visitors about whether the day was helping to make Europe and government more accessible, I was accused of asking rather "deep" questions.

Many of those inside in what is part of a series of Foreign Office open days had their minds instead on some historic sight-seeing.

Two women put the department, whose grand Locarno reception room was being used for musical recitals, on a par with Buckingham Palace.

They admitted the European aspect of the day had so far passed them by in their admiration for a building which was "England at its best".

That might not be quite the reaction Mr Hain would like - though his sales push did seem to succeed at reconciling the best of British with the best of Europe.