Last month, I won an award from my professional body, the Political Studies Association. (For anyone particularly interested in why, see page 15 of the awards brochure.) The award was presented to me by Lord Plant of Highfield, a name now known to those who have read the comments on the previous post. I was allocated two minutes to speak. One advantage of being in the Lords is that we know how to stick to strict, and tight, time limits on speeches.
I pointed out that I was not used to winning awards: “The last time I received an award was over twenty years ago when a local rag, the Hull Free Press, awarded me the title of ‘Self-Publicist of the Year’. I immediately issued a statement thanking all those who made it possible.”
Being an audience of political scientists, they laughed at the wrong point.
Lord Norton of Louth you certainly cover a lot of waterfront. it is admirable to attempt a bit of the wholeness of the Renaissance Man in an era so far in spirit from that renascence. I do hope if you ever returnfor a vist to Penn’s Forest Lands to lecture you will announce such a visit in the LOTB so that those of us in this hemisphere who follow such things might possibly devise an excuse for visiting the commonwealth and listening in. I for one congratulate you on both your efforts and your achievements.
By the way did you ever visit Independence Hall or Ghettysburg?
Did you get a new photocopier as a prize? (laugh/cry now)
Congratulations, a thoroughly well-deserved award from people who have a clue. I shake my head in disbelief when I see some of the winners of similar awards at this time of year. If only you had managed to get arrested in the last six weeks, you would have scooped most of the usual suspects.
Congratulations Lord Norton!
This gave me a good chuckle. 🙂
Thanks for the very kind comments.
Frank Wynerth Summers III: I certainly did visit Independence Hall when I lived in Philadelphia. As a frequent visitor to the USA, I have also had the opportunity to visit a range of historic venues, including Independence, Missouri, where Churchill made his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech. (I visited while I was on a lecture tour of the Mid West some years ago.) Whenever I visit a state capital, I head for the state legislature. I will certainly do a post if I am visiting again to give lectures.
Ladytizzy: Unfortunately not. However, I did win a splendid plaque which now adorns my office desk in Hull. Despite the award from the ‘Hull Free Press’, I hope not to achieve publicity for attracting the attention of officers of the law!
Liam: It may have been the way I told it!