Tonight I gave a talk to the Trefnant Women's Institute on the title: 'Sex and Politics'. It made a change from flower arranging, they told me. I traced the history of politics and sex from Gladstone (with his rescue missions of the ladies of the night), to Asquith and Venetia Stanley, to Lloyd George and many women, but principally Frances Stephenson, then to Profumo, Major, Clinton, Boothby, and many others. I tried to answer the question as to whether there was a link between politics (at the highest level) and sex. There is no obvious answer; yet I quoted Bill Clinton, who when asked why he had an liaison with Monica Lewinsky, replied 'because I could'.
The WI is an excellent organisation and the Trefnant branch were great fun. As I waited to start the branch dealt with their routine business; to conclude the chairwoman read out a comic little poem that blamed men for their ills. The poem mentioned MENtal illness, MENopause, and HIStorectomy. I tried to apologise on behalf of all men.
I always rather liked the exchange between Lady Astor and Winston Churchill. Lady Astor said that if Winston Churchill were her husband she would poison his wine, Winston Churchill replied that were he Lady Astor's husband he would drink it!
ReplyDeleteChurchill the master of the "put down" called Clement Atlee a "sheep in sheeps clothing". Something that my father reminded a school teacher at Haileybury when we were visiting the school. I was trying to get a place there at the time!!
Thank you I enjoyed that one. Another cruel one from Winston Churchill to Attlee: 'An empty taxi pulled up at Westminster Hall and Clement Attlee got out'. Or another from WC:Clement Attlee, a modest man with much to be modest about!'
ReplyDeleteI think Attlee went to Haileybury?!