George Walford: A Prayer of the Suburbs

Our Farnham, which art in Hendon,
Harrow be Rye Lane;
Thy Kingston come,
Thy Wimbledon,
In Erith as it is in Hendon;
Give us this day our Leatherhead
And give us bypasses
As we forgive them who overpass us;
And lead us not into Thames Ditton
But deliver us from Ewell;
For thine is the Kingston, the Purley, the Crawley,
For Esher and Esher.
Crouch End.

(Origin unknown)

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AMONG the more entertaining features of the row over the elimination of the GLC was the nature of the insults used. The worst thing the politicians of either side could find to hurl at their opponents was: “Your actions are politically motivated!”

from Ideological Commentary 23, July 1986.