A little to the left of Karl Marx

If I run into Diane Abbott with my friend, I will ask for the selfie which she has agreed to give me, but in the sober light of Saturday morning I am not going to push it. I have parked my car right outside her house, so I suppose I could engineer it...

My friend's last job was working for Ken Livingstone when he was Mayor of London, and she stood against Margaret Thatcher for her last election. Anne Pettifor gave a speech at her 50th birthday party when she hired an entire restaurant. I suppose you could say that she is well connected in left-wing circles.

Somewhere there is a photo of her and Ken in Billingsgate Fish Market, sexing crabs. I went to find it on the net and found a photo of Boris Johnson kissing fish in the same market. It seems that kissing babies is not all you have to do to be Mayor.

When she stood against Mrs Thatcher, I asked what on earth she was going to do about her shocking swearing. She swears very loudly and very effectively in a strong Lancashire accent. Anne Pettifor gave a very good impersonation at her birthday party - FOOKIN' BAASTARDS!  She assured me that she could keep it under control when she needed to.

During heated arguments (arguments became heated very quickly with her) she would reinforce each syllable of a particularly forceful sentence with sharp jabs to her opponent's shoulder with a bony finger. She has very bony fingers. Now she has retired she - thankfully - does not do this so much.

Do you remember the expression of bitter anger and resentment which used to come over Ena Sharples's face in the Old Coronation Street? She used to pull the exact same expression when she was mute with anger.

EEE....