A FEMALE comrade who travelled a great distance to help Labour’s effort in the Glenrothes by-election was asked to chap at the door of a family by the name of Simpson.

homer-simpsonThe Christian names of the household members were also given to her. When the door was answered she duly asked to speak to Marge, Bart and Lisa, and was met with a blank stare. Fortunately, she realised she had been had before she asked to speak to “Homer”.

When she told me of the incident, I was reminded of a new recruit to Cathcart Labour Party back in the ’80s who, the very first time he went out canvassing, was deliberately sent to the door of one “Mrs Taylor”. When asked if she was a Labour supporter, the formidable elderly lady asked, in a tone of great indignation: “Do you know who I am?” Then, without waiting for a response from the flustered comrade, revealed: “I’m Teddy’s mother!”

“Teddy”, of course, was none other than Teddy Taylor, Cathcart’s Tory MP until 1979, when he unexpectedly lost to Labour, depriving the new prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, of her Scottish Secretary.