8 Comments

The article was most enlightening regarding the early formation of our parliament. The lords seems over crowded today and has been expensive for the public’s benefit.

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I share your sentiments, and those of Walter Bagehot, who wrote "A severe, though not unfriendly, critic of our institutions said that 'The cure for admiring the House of Lords was to go and look at it.'"

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Did you feel the same when you watched the elevation of Shaun Bailey of "Bongo Bongo "party fame .? At least Silvio Berlusconi hosted elegant soirees.

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I found this article fascinating

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That was a wonderful article about an important historical figure I knew nothing about. By the way, Simon de Montfort was the answer to a Times Daily Quiz question today. I think the Quizmasters may be getting inspiration from you!

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Thank you very much. I am particularly grateful for you comment, as I aim to write about lesser known historical figures who were, nonetheless, important, so I am pleased to learn that I am hitting the mark.

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I was so delighted to receive this fine example from history on ,what for me ,is a day of celebration as I have always considered this UDI day.Like Jacob I have always believed in Freedom and who should forget this day when a small country rejected the appeasement /what we call woke ,of the present day and declared independence under its great and mighty leader Ian Smith ,the only IDS, "Striking a blow for civilisation and Christianity"as he declared.Nigel Farage is miffed because he had a balcony at the Remembrance Day service.Ian Smith and his fellow Rhodesians were not allowed to even place a wreath ,and Ian was a Spitfire pilot.His war record speaks for itself.He and Rhodesia must never be forgotten.This speaks volumes about this disgusting self aggrandising mountebank Farage .Why was he not at the local service in Clacton!?JRM was pleased to attend services at Midsomer Norton and Keynsham when he left Government.

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A fascinating article once again .Thankyou JRM.I first became aware of Simon de Montfort when visiting the excellent Richard The Third centre in Leicester(We share a birthday and I'm a boar however one spells it).

There was an exhibition at the Village Hall about De Monfort's alleged persecution of the Jews,these must be the foreign advisers Jacob alludes to.Inevitably it was being linked up with the holocaust,quite a leap there.Eventually they had to be expelled in 1290 , long after De Montfort's death, due to their continuing practice of usury ,coin clipping etc.Only returning courtesy of Oliver Cromwell who even proposed that St Paul's might be turned into a synagogue for them.!!!!The correspondence used to be available to be examined at the British Museum.

It always makes me laugh that De Montfort university sounds so much better than Leicester Poly.I do hope the pereptual victim hood of the Jews will not stain his escutcheon(There are moves afoot)a mere detail of his story and history, or his other achievements as so finely elucidated here by the one and only JRM.

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