End of an era

[JustinHorton]

Well it's nothing really to do with fees - unless Ray was charging for his services - or public funds, it's that it strikes me as a misuse of that particular public building and its purpose. (This shouldn't need saying, of course, and probably wouldn't anywhere else.)

[Richard Bates]

I mean I don't think the proper use of the House of Commons is for a disreputable shyster to treat as a personal podium

I think that ship sailed a long time ago...

[David Sedgwick]

Well it's nothing really to do with fees - unless Ray was charging for his services - or public funds, it's that it strikes me as a misuse of that particular public building and its purpose. (This shouldn't need saying, of course, and probably wouldn't anywhere else.)

Parliament (noun):

A meeting or assembly for conference on public or national affairs.

[JustinHorton]

deleted

[Roger Lancaster]

Commissar Horton

What a sad, shabby, squalid little man you are.

I think that last remark says more about Justin than about David. Can the moderators take a look at this?

[JustinHorton]

Can the moderators take a look at this?

If they'd like to look at me being called "Commissar", Roger, which is a disgusting insult.

[Angus French]

David, can you tell us the purpose of the meeting at the House of Commons to which you were invited by Ray Keene?

RDK was giving a talk on the subject of Cultural Heritage and Leadership, as mentioned in Justin's first post on the subject.

Sure, that's what the tweet said. But it seems like a rather wide scope and I wondered whether the meeting had a more specific purpose - and, if it did, whether, since you were invited, you could help provide enlightenment.

[Roger Lancaster]

Can the moderators take a look at this?

If they'd like to look at me being called "Commissar", Roger, which is a disgusting insult.

Whereas your calling someone a "disreputable shyster" isn't?

[JustinHorton]

No, because the subject is Ray Keene and it is not hard to make that description stand up. (But we both knew that, didn't we?)

[Roger Lancaster]

Justin. I was critical of Ray Keene as long ago as the mid-1980s when, then viewed by many as a 'golden boy' of British chess, he attempted to unseat FIDE president Florencio Campomanes. In fact, after interviewing Campomanes, I reached the conclusion that neither was fit to run FIDE. Many of us prioritise our own interests ahead of others but it's an area where Ray tends to excel. Having said that, and maybe I'm being old-fashioned here, I don't think "disreputable shyster" is an appropriate term to use. "Commissar" is a term with which I'm less familiar but appears to mean "delegate", particularly in communist countries.

[David Sedgwick]

Can the moderators take a look at this?

If they'd like to look at me being called "Commissar", Roger, which is a disgusting insult.

Okay. I shall withdraw the word "Commissar" and I apologise for it.

[JustinHorton]

And I will remove and delete my response, and apologise also.

[David Sedgwick]

And I will remove and delete my response, and apologise also.

Thank you.

Roger, I appreciate your support.

[JustinHorton]

Having said that, and maybe I'm being old-fashioned here, I don't think "disreputable shyster" is an appropriate term to use

I am perfectly prepared to use more old-fashoined terms myself, and not necessarily those of my own choosing, but they do need to convey the sense of a whole adult lifetime of dubious behaviour of a certain type, so by all means if people wish to suggest alternative nomenclature then go ahead. But it would have to be of a type that conveyed the reality and the record rather than seeking to obscure it.

Just in general, it does need to be said that English chess really needs to rid itself of the sentiment that people are being unfair to Ray.

[David Sedgwick]

Sure, that's what the tweet said. But it seems like a rather wide scope and I wondered whether the meeting had a more specific purpose - and, if it did, whether, since you were invited, you could help provide enlightenment.

On reflection, it was a slight overstatement to say that I was invited to the meeting. I was informed about it, and advised of the security arrangements if I wished to attend.

As I said in my first post on the matter, I didn't go. I know nothing about the purpose of the meeting beyond what I have already said.

I stand by my view that there was nothing unusual or sinister about the arrangements for the meeting.