One from the Right

 A while back, I wrote about 'early disclosers', people who insist on telling you their (invariably dreary) political views as soon as they meet you. At the time of writing, I had never come across anyone whose views might be labelled 'right-wing' who has similarly made a point of declaring them at the first opportunity. Today, however, in the supermarket check-out queue, I was buttonholed by a chap who lost no time in telling me that he had stood as the UKIP candidate in some nearby rock-solid Labour seat and attracted an impressive (I think) 960 votes. He intends to stand for Reform in the next general election, as he thinks Nigel Farage is one hell of a fellow, and after that his plan is to become Minister of Transport in the Reform government – this because he is very exercised about the number of traffic roundabouts in Walsall, and the fact that the lights on pedestrian crossings stay on red even after all pedestrians have crossed the road. I fear his plans are a little unrealistic, not least because, as he told me, he is 81 years old, rising 82 – although, to be fair, he looked little more than 60, and is clearly fizzing with energy. By the time I was paying for my shopping, he had turned away and engaged two women in conversation, but I don't know if he was regaling them with the same routine. Anyway, it made a nice change to meet someone from the 'other side' who was keen to share their political views – though I would have preferred almost any other subject.