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| Diary: How an MP repelled a pesky student. Shut up! Gob shut! | Diary: How an MP repelled a pesky student. Shut up! Gob shut! |
| (5 months later) | |
| • With the breach between politicians and the public seemingly harder to fill than ever, someone needs to reconnect, especially with the disaffected young. Step forward the Tory MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger. We had reason to speak of him last year when he used his website to malign a butterfly conservationist. Students at the Richard Huish College politics society in Taunton were keen to speak with him last Friday; one politics student, Ciaran McDiamond, asked about the regrettable episode when Liddell-Grainger was found to have been writing emails to himself and then replying to them, allegedly to improve his "responsiveness rating" on a monitoring website. Why did you do that, asked McDiamond. There was a glitch with genuine emails not being represented and I was encouraged to, replied Liddell-Grainger. Do you not make your own decisions, said McDiamond, persistent. "You haven't done your research so just shut up," came Liddell-Grainger's reply. "Get your brain in gear; gob shut." The MP was unrepentant yesterday. "He was going on about nothing. His question was legitimate and I had answered it. We were all getting bored." How would he cope with Paxman? | • With the breach between politicians and the public seemingly harder to fill than ever, someone needs to reconnect, especially with the disaffected young. Step forward the Tory MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger. We had reason to speak of him last year when he used his website to malign a butterfly conservationist. Students at the Richard Huish College politics society in Taunton were keen to speak with him last Friday; one politics student, Ciaran McDiamond, asked about the regrettable episode when Liddell-Grainger was found to have been writing emails to himself and then replying to them, allegedly to improve his "responsiveness rating" on a monitoring website. Why did you do that, asked McDiamond. There was a glitch with genuine emails not being represented and I was encouraged to, replied Liddell-Grainger. Do you not make your own decisions, said McDiamond, persistent. "You haven't done your research so just shut up," came Liddell-Grainger's reply. "Get your brain in gear; gob shut." The MP was unrepentant yesterday. "He was going on about nothing. His question was legitimate and I had answered it. We were all getting bored." How would he cope with Paxman? |
| • Solid fellow, Sir Peter Hendy, the boss of Transport for London hailed for his gumption during the 7/7 attacks and lauded for making the trains run on time during the 2012 Olympics. But even he cannot live beyond the beady eye of scrutiny, and so has been forced to explain why there exists among his business expense claims a £180 receipt relating to his purchase of toy metal buses to give to Mayor Boris. When the website MayorWatch sought an explanation, none was forthcoming. Prodded by us, a TfL underling explained. "We bought models of the New Bus for London from Corgi so that the mayor could use them as gifts for visiting dignitaries and to promote investment in London during his foreign trips." And it gives the mayor something to play with on the plane. | • Solid fellow, Sir Peter Hendy, the boss of Transport for London hailed for his gumption during the 7/7 attacks and lauded for making the trains run on time during the 2012 Olympics. But even he cannot live beyond the beady eye of scrutiny, and so has been forced to explain why there exists among his business expense claims a £180 receipt relating to his purchase of toy metal buses to give to Mayor Boris. When the website MayorWatch sought an explanation, none was forthcoming. Prodded by us, a TfL underling explained. "We bought models of the New Bus for London from Corgi so that the mayor could use them as gifts for visiting dignitaries and to promote investment in London during his foreign trips." And it gives the mayor something to play with on the plane. |
| • On St George's Day, knowledgeable types discuss the man himself and what he means in a modern context. Demos director David Goodhart, author of the recent controversial history of immigration The British Dream, calls for St George's Day to be a public holiday. But he also suggests too many immigrants have been allowed in and applauds the government's attempt to cap the numbers. "Would he have let St George in," asks Sunder Katwala, boss of the thinktank British Future. Max Wind-Cowie, head of the Progressive Conservatism project at Demos, takes the bait. "Well that would depend on whether we had a dragon-slaying skills shortage AND on how long he planned to stay," he tweets. Ah yes, replies Katwala. "Occupation: Patron Saint and Dragon Slayer. Leave to remain. Yes (temporary; do not settle)." Goodhart himself has the final word. "No special favours for St George he must pass language/citizenship tests (and I doubt dragon slayers get asylum)." | • On St George's Day, knowledgeable types discuss the man himself and what he means in a modern context. Demos director David Goodhart, author of the recent controversial history of immigration The British Dream, calls for St George's Day to be a public holiday. But he also suggests too many immigrants have been allowed in and applauds the government's attempt to cap the numbers. "Would he have let St George in," asks Sunder Katwala, boss of the thinktank British Future. Max Wind-Cowie, head of the Progressive Conservatism project at Demos, takes the bait. "Well that would depend on whether we had a dragon-slaying skills shortage AND on how long he planned to stay," he tweets. Ah yes, replies Katwala. "Occupation: Patron Saint and Dragon Slayer. Leave to remain. Yes (temporary; do not settle)." Goodhart himself has the final word. "No special favours for St George he must pass language/citizenship tests (and I doubt dragon slayers get asylum)." |
| • A trying week for George Osborne. Add to that, questions from John Humphrys yesterday about the chancellor's tears at Margaret Thatcher's funeral. Do you cry often? "When I listen to the Today programme headlines," replied Gideon. He makes poor folk weep most of the time. | • A trying week for George Osborne. Add to that, questions from John Humphrys yesterday about the chancellor's tears at Margaret Thatcher's funeral. Do you cry often? "When I listen to the Today programme headlines," replied Gideon. He makes poor folk weep most of the time. |
| • As crying Gideon benefits from lessons in economics from Justin Welby, the new-ish archbishop of Canterbury, what gives with Rowan Williams, Welby's august predecessor? Busy, busy: opening an exhibition in Cambridge next week on 19th-century murder, mutilation, highway robbery and general villainy in England and Spain. It includes tales of Francisquillo el Sastre, who chopped up his victims with a giant pair of scissors; and Sebastiana, who killed her parents, fried their hearts and ate them. Still, less frightening than General Synod. | • As crying Gideon benefits from lessons in economics from Justin Welby, the new-ish archbishop of Canterbury, what gives with Rowan Williams, Welby's august predecessor? Busy, busy: opening an exhibition in Cambridge next week on 19th-century murder, mutilation, highway robbery and general villainy in England and Spain. It includes tales of Francisquillo el Sastre, who chopped up his victims with a giant pair of scissors; and Sebastiana, who killed her parents, fried their hearts and ate them. Still, less frightening than General Synod. |
| • Damn those priests. Further north, there's another one getting uppitty. Whatever happened to the "big society", asks John Sentamu, archbishop of York. "Vanished without trace," he says. Brave man. He can always offer himself sanctuary. | • Damn those priests. Further north, there's another one getting uppitty. Whatever happened to the "big society", asks John Sentamu, archbishop of York. "Vanished without trace," he says. Brave man. He can always offer himself sanctuary. |
| Twitter: @hugh_muir | Twitter: @hugh_muir |
| • This article was amended on 24 April 2013. The original described David Goodhart as a founder of Demos. He is director of the thinktank, but not a founder. | • This article was amended on 24 April 2013. The original described David Goodhart as a founder of Demos. He is director of the thinktank, but not a founder. |
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