The Philanderer
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Baby boomers
I have always been intrigued by the way my life has centred on West London, given the various detours it has taken.
I was born in West Middlesex Hospital,on the Isleworth/Brentford border, and first went to school close by. I then moved to Plymouth, returned to London for further education (some would say that was a waste of time). After living in North, South and West London, I finally ended up living not a mile from my place of birth. Full circle in fact.
Now I notice that my place of birth, the very maternity ward in which I popped out into the world, is being knocked down, presumably to allow the Primary Care Trust (PCT) to earn some money for new and better facilities. Some of my oldest childhood memories are also associated with the old Victorian blocks which are fast being transformed to a pile of rubble.
I had my adenoids and tonsils removed in the late '50s, and remember being positioned next to the fish tank. It was my job to switch its light out every night when I went to sleep. The few times I forgot, I was given a right telling off by the ward sister. I also remember being dressed in a cowboy outfit to go down to theatre, as part of a cunning plan to take the fear out of the procedure and make it seem like a good old adventure. The next few days I had nothing but ice cream and jelly, so it can't have been all bad.
Now where did I leave that pen I was just using, and what were the names of those people I was with last light? Funny thing that memory.
I was born in West Middlesex Hospital,on the Isleworth/Brentford border, and first went to school close by. I then moved to Plymouth, returned to London for further education (some would say that was a waste of time). After living in North, South and West London, I finally ended up living not a mile from my place of birth. Full circle in fact.
Now I notice that my place of birth, the very maternity ward in which I popped out into the world, is being knocked down, presumably to allow the Primary Care Trust (PCT) to earn some money for new and better facilities. Some of my oldest childhood memories are also associated with the old Victorian blocks which are fast being transformed to a pile of rubble.
I had my adenoids and tonsils removed in the late '50s, and remember being positioned next to the fish tank. It was my job to switch its light out every night when I went to sleep. The few times I forgot, I was given a right telling off by the ward sister. I also remember being dressed in a cowboy outfit to go down to theatre, as part of a cunning plan to take the fear out of the procedure and make it seem like a good old adventure. The next few days I had nothing but ice cream and jelly, so it can't have been all bad.
Now where did I leave that pen I was just using, and what were the names of those people I was with last light? Funny thing that memory.
Labels: adenoids, Brentford, isleworth, PCT, tonsils, West Middlesex
¶ 5:23 PM 0 Comments
Friday, February 22, 2008
Just two Keen
The concern surrounding the allowances paid to MPs has recently come home to roost for my current constituency representative, Ann Keen, and her husband Alan. Ann is the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, which includes the West end of Chiswick. Unfortunately the would be conservative voters in this leafy suburb are not sufficient to outvote the traditional labour classes in the rest of her area.
Her husband is the MP for the neighbouring Feltham and Heston area. they live in a family house in Brentford.
Now, I can get from Brentford to Waterloo and on to Westminster in 45 minutes, I am sure they could too, but instead they have taken advantage of the £20,000 living allowance which they are entitled to, to purchase a £500,000 flat fifteen minutes walk from the Houses of Parliament. Whether they rent it out or use it themselves is unclear, however, since 2002 they have claimed a total in excess of £175,000.
Still, there is nothing like keeping it in the family. Ann Keen's sister Sylvia Heal is also an MP. Ann Keen's cousin Lady Glynis Kinnock is an MEP. Ann Keen's cousin's husband Lord Neil Kinnock is Chair of the British Council, former EU Commissioner and former Leader of the Labour Party and former MP. Ann Keen's cousins son Stephen until recently at least was (and maybe still is) the head of the British Council in St Petersburg, Russia and therefore employed by the British Government organisation chaired by his father, Lord Kinnock.
Alan is in his seventies, Ann is 60 this year. Recent photographs of her could give rise to suggestions that some of that afore mentioned £175,000 from public funds may have been spent on a bit of nip and tuck. Has she invented per chance, a new definition of taxidermy? I think we should be told.
Her husband is the MP for the neighbouring Feltham and Heston area. they live in a family house in Brentford.
Now, I can get from Brentford to Waterloo and on to Westminster in 45 minutes, I am sure they could too, but instead they have taken advantage of the £20,000 living allowance which they are entitled to, to purchase a £500,000 flat fifteen minutes walk from the Houses of Parliament. Whether they rent it out or use it themselves is unclear, however, since 2002 they have claimed a total in excess of £175,000.
Still, there is nothing like keeping it in the family. Ann Keen's sister Sylvia Heal is also an MP. Ann Keen's cousin Lady Glynis Kinnock is an MEP. Ann Keen's cousin's husband Lord Neil Kinnock is Chair of the British Council, former EU Commissioner and former Leader of the Labour Party and former MP. Ann Keen's cousins son Stephen until recently at least was (and maybe still is) the head of the British Council in St Petersburg, Russia and therefore employed by the British Government organisation chaired by his father, Lord Kinnock.
Alan is in his seventies, Ann is 60 this year. Recent photographs of her could give rise to suggestions that some of that afore mentioned £175,000 from public funds may have been spent on a bit of nip and tuck. Has she invented per chance, a new definition of taxidermy? I think we should be told.
Labels: Alan keen, ann keen, Brentford, feltham, heston, isleworth, kinnock, MP, taxidermy, westminster
¶ 1:11 PM 0 Comments
