Sorry David Mellor apologises for taxi driver rant and promises to stick to drinking water at lunch in future Former Cabinet Minister said he was 'really, really sorry' for his tirade Told listeners of his LBC radio show that he had endured a 'torrid' weekÂ But Mellor added that it was 'probably no worse than I deserved' By Glen Owen for The Mail on Sunday David Mellor apologised for his rant at a taxi driver - and promised to stick to water at lunch from now on David Mellor apologised yesterday for his rant at a taxi driver â€" and promised to stick to water at lunch from now on. The former Cabinet Minister, making his first public comments since a recording emerged of him calling the driver a 'sweaty, stupid little s***', said he was 'really, really sorry' for his tirade. Mr Mellor told listeners of his LBC radio show that he had endured a 'torrid' week, 'but probably no worse than I deserved'.Â He said: 'I can't think what possessed me to lose it with that cabbie the way I did. 'I had a case but I threw it away by the way I spoke and I'm really, really sorry about that, and I especially want to apologise to you, our listeners, for trying your patience and risking my own credibility with you by speaking the way I did.' Mr Mellor, who pledged to make a 'substantial' donation to the cab drivers' Christmas children's appeal, added: 'Anyway, it's water for me at the next celebratory lunch, I've definitely made that decision.' During the cab ride, which he made earlier this month following a visit to Buckingham Palace with his partner Lady Cobham, Mr Mellor disagreed with the driver over the best route back to his Â£8 million riverside home.Â The former Culture Secretary listed his life's achievements and demanded: 'Who are you to question me? I've been in the Cabinet, I'm an award-winning broadcaster, I'm a Queen's Counsel.' He added: 'I don't want to hear from you. Get a better education. Shut the f*** up. Earlier in the day, Mr Mellor and Lady Cobham, who is the chairman of VisitEngland, had attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace, where she was presented with a CBE by Prince Charles for her services to tourism. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory lunch at an upmarket London restaurant, which ran until nearly 6pm.Â The now-infamous journey began after the couple were picked up outside the restaurant in Marylebone by the unidentified taxi driver. Mr Mellor's verbal volley, which led to the threat of a mass boycott by black cab drivers, came in the wake of the row over Labour frontbencher Emily Thornberry 'snobbishly' tweeting a picture of a home in Rochester, and just days before a High Court judge ruled against former Tory Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell in the 'Plebgate' affair. The cab driver, a 38-year-old from South-East London who said he earns Â£28,000 a year, said: 'Mr Mellor made me feel like I am something he'd found on the bottom of his shoe.'