Humour in the Council

This item in the New Statesman today, regarding confusion between new MPs Tristram Hunt and Zac Goldsmith, reminded me of a similar incident in the council that happened to me a few years ago.

I was sitting at a table, and suddenly I felt two hands clapping me on the shoulders from behind me, followed by Liberal Democrat Councillor Ken Webber's rich west country voice saying "Hello John!"

I turned and he said "Oh! I thought you were John Booth!" (one of his Lib Dem colleagues at the time). He was so surprised, and a little embarrassed.

I decided to rib him a little over this, but also to make light of it, so I prepared the above sign and printed it to fill an A4 sheet of paper. The next time I saw him approaching, I turned my back before he saw me and held the sign very visibly, behind my back.

He laughed (he is actually quite a jolly fellow, and we get on famously) and I gave him the sign to keep, while he explained to the chap with him what this was all about.

It's just one of those little things that help break down barriers between members of different parties.