Convergent Corruption
For those of you who do not reside here, Britain has been quite busy of late.
Particularly with regard to corruption.
It has just been announced that the Electoral Commission is to “investigate” which Tory donor paid for the recent refurbishment of Number 10 Downing Street – the Prime Minister’s residence.
But with most UK regulators captured, one really oughtn’t hold one’s breath.
Some people are talking about a return to the glorious 1990s when talk of Tory sleaze was a daily affair.
And then PM John Major announced a Back to Basics campaign at the Tory party conference in 1993.
Several Tory MPs had already been caught up sex and corruption scandals at the time.
According to Wikipedia Piers Morgan, who exposed many of the sexual scandals as editor of the News of the World, opined:
Major brought all these exposés on himself, with that ludicrous ‘Back to Basics’ speech at the last Tory conference … It strikes me that probably every Tory MP is up to some sexual shenanigans, but we can hardly get them all fired or there will be nobody left to run the country. Still, needs must. Brown’s shenanigans will shift a few papers, get followed everywhere and ensure the NoW [News of the World] leads the news agenda again. We’re on a roll and it feels fantastic.[8]
Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World is now officially shut following the phone hacking scandal but it was immediately replaced by the Sun on Sunday so, as so often happens in Britain, it’s business as usual.
Thankfully the organisers of the cheekily named Back to Basics nightclub in Leeds took Mr Major’s return to family values as he really intended.
And you’ll also be pleased to hear that the bar is far far higher now.
What was once classified as corrupt is now de rigeur.
So maybe, if one wants to take a walk on the wild side, one ought to cast one’s gaze a little further back . . .
For only £5 you can bag yourself a print copy of An Election Entertainment from the Soane Museum website.
The painting is by William Hogarth
It’s the first painting from Hogarth’s ‘An Election’ series from 1754-55.
Here’s a self portrait by Willie Hogarth of a painter and his pug.
There are more Hogarths at the Soane Museum. I highly recommend a visit, if you can.
Particularly of the Rake’s Progress.
I was taken to see these as a boy and though I barely understood what it all meant, I am ever so grateful for the memory.
What a Carrie On
‘My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go’
Oscar Wilde’s
Speaking of Sir John Soane, the interior designer at Number 10, Lulu Lyttle, seems to be sailing under #SoaneBritain flag.
Carrie Antoinette
No Sex Please, We’re British
London Conversation
I’m running conversation groups again!
I used to run face to face language focused professional development workshops for small groups of executives in Madrid.
My main client was a large Spanish bank, BBVA, but I also taught at other organisations, including a stock market-focused private business school.
When I moved back to England ten years ago I started to teach in Language Schools in London and started getting involved in investigative journalism.
The journalism thing has been very rewarding, but it doesn’t pay very well!
So I am now turning my focus on developing online language courses.
I’m running one to one conversation practice for €20 per hour.
And plan to start putting out more blogs and short films about whatever topics you find interesting.
Please email me your suggestions for short films and blogs:
If you are interested in booking a conversation class with me, click the best time and date for you below!
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