Oh look - it's another thread about Bert Lloyd! I've been nattering on the other one - I see all the clever heads are over here!

I agree that one of the problems about the "remade" songs is that they are often made in the image of Lloyd's personal politics. It's about as academically dodgy as it's possible to be: start with a thesis, and find sources that back up your thesis. And if the sources don't quite support your thesis, change them. Or just make them up. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time...

Re Shirley Collins at Cheltenham: she was responding to particularly disparaging reviews given to her by MacColl and Lloyd, and questioning their legitimacy as critics based on the fact that they were both, in her opinion, charlatans. This is where her dismissive expletive came from.