It was the statement that Sir Peter Viggars will retire “at the direct request of David Cameron” that alerted me
Sir Peter is always tagged as a Tory grandee - & not one of the type usually described as backwoodsman; the fact that I recognise the name means that his Parliamentary career must be rather distinguished (I have not tried to check the details). A Hampshire seat which must be rock solid safe (another fact I have not checked), a prize for a future Tory star, or an existing one in a more marginal seat
It shows Cameron is confident about his authority in the Party – whether Sir Peter fell on his sword from a blow from a clunking fist, or as a result of a silkily civilised agreement between toffs, is immaterial to this
As a responsible landowner, Douglas Hogg would have had his moat cleaned with or without an allowance for ‘necessary costs.’ He may or may not have found a receipt for something less unfortunately worded to claim for, if he had stopped to think about it. Who knows
But what is a duck island? Is it a praiseworthy Green contribution to conservation, a sort of mini-Slimbridge in something which I might call a lake, rather than a pond?
Or a hide from which to shoot the things?
Or – quelle horreur! – a water feature in a pond, as tasteful as a garden gnome?
It is so easy to mock. And unfair
But it all seems to point to the return of rather old-fashioned Tory values, the grandees back in charge after years of Thatcherite estate agents, garagistes & grocers
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