Lord Bonkers' Diary: Benjamin Britten’s 'Darren Grimes'

Lord Bonkers often tells me the story of how he was at an Aldeburgh Festival concert when the hall was inundated by the sea. He snatched up a double bass as it floated past and paddled himself to safety, accompanied by Benjamin Britten on the piano.

Saturday

To the Royal Opera House, Oakham. The first Lady Bonkers was a great Wagnerian, and when I returned from business at the House would often greet me in the guise of Brünnhilde – “Hojotoho! Hojotoho! Heiaha! Heiaha!” and so forth.

The evening’s entertainment is Benjamin Britten’s ‘Darren Grimes’, which tells the story of a Suffolk fisherman who wins the bad opinion of his fellows and takes up politics as a career instead. There he falls into bad company and is fined £20,000 by the Electoral Commission before putting to sea in his boat and never being seen again.

There is a lesson there that I trust all Young Liberals will take to heart.

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

Previously in Lord Bonkers' Diary:

• The problem with Layla Moran
• Where 'Demand Better' came from
• "For me he’s delivered that too well"
• Trouble at Belvoir Castle
• Orphans on the line