I was Best Man at the [alas] late John Brunner's wedding, shared a flat with him in the 50s, and was married from there at Hampstead Register Office in 1959: you will gather he was one of my dearest-ever friends; so don't try to tell me about him, please, Shimrod.

The Tories are not my darlings ~ look at my last post about being the absolute Floater: have voted for several different parties in my time {Lab, Con, Referendum, Lib [for the person, when Clement Freud {another friend} was my MP in Isle of Ely]···

I agree with you about the 'punish' attitude being a puerile approach to politics: but suspect it is spread across the whole spectrum: and endeavour to remember that its perpetrators have exactly the same number of votes that I have and are equally entitled to cast them as they wish ~~ an attitide I should commend to your attention & recollection for the benefit, if nought else, of your blood pressure.

~M~