Thanks Ed, you've done some good research, RS - not a good record then - i think I'll change my mind about the patrician Tory bit and re-catalogue him as a near neo-con Conservative, disappointing, I know, , but there you are. It was certainly worth my posting to get some informed comments like yours.

As you say, the double act with Alastair Campbell should be warning enough, - I have listened to snippets of the podcast, but I can't now even recall what they were talking about at the time, obviously I wasn't that impressed as I didn't go back for more. . .

Still, I'd like to have a long walk with the man in the border country, and see what makes him tick - I think he'd be an interesting walking companion.

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