John(P) just reminded me of this post from November 2002 and the 'portentous political comment' in an email I sent him a year ago:

Yes, IDS is just one big open goal gaping in front of the satirists, isn't he? I've been making reference to this story quite a bit in my pragmatics class. Great examples of someone saying something and being taken to mean something quite different, e.g. Portillo says he's not interested in being leader and being taken to mean 'make me leader'

I'd feel clever if it wasn't for the fact that every single person in the country who isn't in the Tory party took the same view.

Can't believe they're going for someone as obviously dislikeable as Howard but I agree with Michael Portillo who said that at least he'll give them some definition. But is that really how they want to be defined?

B-)