An apology

I owe an apology to Diane Abbott, whom I learn today from the Guardian to be a graduate of history from Newnham College, Cambridge. A place very near the primary school where I once attended Saturday painting groups led by one Elizabeth Vellacott (of reference 1). With most of the other groupies being girls with parents who could afford fancy painting sets for their little darlings. I had to use what I think were called poster paints on what is still called sugar paper.

An apology for the fact that it never occurred to me that Abbott had had a serious education. Knowing more or less nothing about her, apart from the not very flattering pictures of her which appear in newspapers from time to time, I assumed that she was a lady of not very much formal education, rather along the lines of Leader Corbyn. Quite wrong.

She also did a stint as an administration trainee at the Home Office (where I ended up), before moving into broadcasting and press officerships, before moving into politics proper.

Reference 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Vellacott.

Reference 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Abbott.