THE Daily Telegraph supplies details of the expenses of Forest Conservative MP Mark Harper. He has to his credit the usual claim for expenses on mortgage interest on his second home, namely, £21,191, £21,741, and £22,978 for 2005/6, 2006/7, and 2007/8 respectively.
It is on a pleasingly ascending curve as he masters the intricacies of life at Westminster. His mastery of detail is shown to special advantage, however, in his claim of £5.14 for fungus spray. Fungus, as we all know, has always been a special problem for those living in the Forest of Dean. I am sure that my old friends in Central Lydbrook will have no difficulty in interpreting these examples of sterling worth.
There may be some anger, however, on Camomile Green and Worrall Hill, and also on Church Hill, Joys Green, Forge Hill, and the Incline (my old newspaper round), and even in such outposts of civilisation as Ruardean, Drybrook, Stowfield, and English Bicknor.
Our more sophisticated friends in the fast growing towns of Cinderford, Coleford, and Lydney may take a more tolerant view of these matters, after the fashion of Daniel Finkelstein and Julie Kirkbride writing in The Times in the past two days. On the other hand I delivered few copies of The Times on Church Hill, Forge Hill, and the Incline. I cannot imagine that things have changed much in that respect since the 1950s. – Gerald Morgan, Dublin.