Robes of State

Congratulations to Lucas Wainwright, who has been elected on a record turnout as one of the new Members of the Youth Parliament for County Durham, and who is one of the better-dressed young men of this parish who regard me as a sartorial icon. He will be the second such in succession to hold the office. That is as it should be.

Dare I claim some small credit? Try and stop me. If you want my clearly valuable endorsement, then asking for it is a good start. Going to Mass with me, and being related to people with whom I went to school and to people who taught me, also does no harm. But saying how much you admire my suits, now that is the clincher.

Durham did not seem to participate in this scheme when, back in the heady days of Early Corbynism, that was a cruel disappointment to someone of the deepest soundness and the soundest depth who, since I had passed on to him rather a fine jacket that my emerging middle-aged frame could no longer bear, did not merely admire, or even seek to imitate, my clothes, but actually wore them. I consider that one of my political aims, to secure the election of at least one Member of the Youth Parliament who literally wore my clothes.