When I was looking for a house in Suffolk a few years ago and my agent suggested a property near Debenham. While we briefly surveyed the thoroughly unsuitable property, the agent let slip the next door neighbour was John Gummer. I think he hoped it would be a good selling point- apparently my expression could have defined the word 'aghast'.
John Gummer seems to have been around longer than pollution. He was one of the Tory Mafia at Cambridge University (Selwyn College) in the late fifties where his contempories included Ken Clarke, Norman Lamont, Leon Brittan, Michael Howard. Although others impressed more John 'Selwyn' Gummer was first of the 'Mob' to be elected to Parliament in June 1970 when he took the seat of Lewisham West. While seeking a suitable seat 'Gums' penned the curiously titled book "When the Coloured People Come." No-one can trace a copy but I would be suprised if the message of the book was "I'm relaxed about immigration, I'm sure everthing's going to be fine."
John got kicked out of Parliament in 74 when Labour returned to power. He arrived back on Margaret Thatcher's Tory wave of 79 and has been there ever since. After a couple of years in the whips office he became an Employment Minster and remained on the front bench for 16 years. Few can boast such record - a point his website (http://www.johngummer.org.uk/) celebrates with unrestrained pride.
His highest profile moments include both the harsh and silly ends of political experience. He was Conservative Party Chairman when the IRA blew up the Grand Hotel in Brighton in 1985. As Secretary of State for Agriculture he was photographed seemingly forcefeeding his young daughter, Cordelia a 'dog' burger at the outset of the BSE outbreak.
In 1992 he left the Church of England in protest to the ordination of women priests and joined the catholic priests. Many a catholic I knew responded in the same way, "Oh, Christ, we don't want him."
He's 68 now still MP for Suffolk Coastal with his Ministerial career firmly behind him. To some MPs it would be tempting to treat the job as something of a sinecure. However speaking to peopIe locally I get the distinct impression JG is quite a good constituency MP.
Sarah Lomas, of Saxmundham describes herself as a " very unlikley supporter of John Gummer". However when Brook Farm Playgroup was certain to close John stepped in to shake up the County Council. He rubbed backs and pulled knobs and the Playgroup was saved. Sarah chokes on her socialist principles when she describes Johnny as 'top man'
He is often out and about in my home town of Woodbridge. I cannot claim to be closely familiar with fashion but John seems to be one of the worst dressed men in England. I think you could call his style Country Effected.
Cameron has made good use of JG's considerable experience and put him to work on the policy document on the environment. The Shadow Chancellor, George Osbourne had spoken about proposals to introduce punitive green taxes on those taking 2-3 flights a year. This was not just politically risky but potentially suicidal - Brown et al need only repeat ad nauseum the phrase 'holiday tax' and look forward to another term of Government. Under Gummer the idea, such as it was, has been so watered down it has ceased to exist.
He shows no sign of stopping, eventhough I feel sure the title Lord Gummer of Debenham awaits any time he likes.
John Gummer seems to have been around longer than pollution. He was one of the Tory Mafia at Cambridge University (Selwyn College) in the late fifties where his contempories included Ken Clarke, Norman Lamont, Leon Brittan, Michael Howard. Although others impressed more John 'Selwyn' Gummer was first of the 'Mob' to be elected to Parliament in June 1970 when he took the seat of Lewisham West. While seeking a suitable seat 'Gums' penned the curiously titled book "When the Coloured People Come." No-one can trace a copy but I would be suprised if the message of the book was "I'm relaxed about immigration, I'm sure everthing's going to be fine."
John got kicked out of Parliament in 74 when Labour returned to power. He arrived back on Margaret Thatcher's Tory wave of 79 and has been there ever since. After a couple of years in the whips office he became an Employment Minster and remained on the front bench for 16 years. Few can boast such record - a point his website (http://www.johngummer.org.uk/) celebrates with unrestrained pride.
His highest profile moments include both the harsh and silly ends of political experience. He was Conservative Party Chairman when the IRA blew up the Grand Hotel in Brighton in 1985. As Secretary of State for Agriculture he was photographed seemingly forcefeeding his young daughter, Cordelia a 'dog' burger at the outset of the BSE outbreak.
In 1992 he left the Church of England in protest to the ordination of women priests and joined the catholic priests. Many a catholic I knew responded in the same way, "Oh, Christ, we don't want him."
He's 68 now still MP for Suffolk Coastal with his Ministerial career firmly behind him. To some MPs it would be tempting to treat the job as something of a sinecure. However speaking to peopIe locally I get the distinct impression JG is quite a good constituency MP.
Sarah Lomas, of Saxmundham describes herself as a " very unlikley supporter of John Gummer". However when Brook Farm Playgroup was certain to close John stepped in to shake up the County Council. He rubbed backs and pulled knobs and the Playgroup was saved. Sarah chokes on her socialist principles when she describes Johnny as 'top man'
He is often out and about in my home town of Woodbridge. I cannot claim to be closely familiar with fashion but John seems to be one of the worst dressed men in England. I think you could call his style Country Effected.
Cameron has made good use of JG's considerable experience and put him to work on the policy document on the environment. The Shadow Chancellor, George Osbourne had spoken about proposals to introduce punitive green taxes on those taking 2-3 flights a year. This was not just politically risky but potentially suicidal - Brown et al need only repeat ad nauseum the phrase 'holiday tax' and look forward to another term of Government. Under Gummer the idea, such as it was, has been so watered down it has ceased to exist.
He shows no sign of stopping, eventhough I feel sure the title Lord Gummer of Debenham awaits any time he likes.
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