Lord Bonkers' Diary: At a signal box outside Sherburn in Elmet

Lord Bonkers made much the same observation about a choirboy singing Lloyd George Knew My Father in the first Christmas diary I helped him with. As the was published in Liberator 35 years ago, I reasoned that I could repeat it without boring his audience. 

And while I'm talking to people who weren't born when I began writing this nonsense, yes, in 1981 the SDP really did hold a rolling conference that took the train through Perth, Bradford and London.

Christmas Eve

I do not regard Christmas as having properly begun until I hear the piping voice of a choirboy tackle the opening verse of “Lloyd George Knew My Father”. As usual, the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Asquith’s is a triumph, and my enjoyment of it is only enhanced by the presence in the pew behind me of Cook’s rich contralto. I hear her urge choirs of angels to “sing in exculpation”, learn that “the holly bears a pickle” and harmonise with her when the organist strikes up “In the Beith Midwinter”. 

As to the lessons, Wera Duckworth reads from the work of that great Liberal L.T. Duckworth; William and Jim Wallace read Graham Wallas; and I tell the joke about Roy Jenkins and the lavatory brush that once had me set down from the SDP’s rolling conference train at a signal box outside Sherburn in Elmet.

Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South West 1906-10.

Earlier this week...

• The Duke of Buccleuch is pretty chuffed too
• I hurry to book the rather singed Kwarteng for next year