...to be British.

I have to say that at the moment, I am ashamed to be British. The reason for this state of play is the current treatment of Mr Ronald Biggs.

It seems farcical that in a country, famed for it's sense of fair play, revered throughout the world for it's justice system, admired for it's stand on human rights, that we now insist on incarcerating a sick seventy nine year old man for the duration of his life.

Let us not forget that in 'The Great Train Robbery' driver Mills got a severe beating. But, let us not forget that at no time was Biggs accused of this. He was just a member of the team, a career villain, but strictly second division.

The 'crime' for which he is now being held is not one of armed robbery but one of having the audacity to escape and the much more heinous crime of putting two fingers up to authority, of living high on the hog, courtesy of the British media.

This is not the justice of which we Brits are so rightly proud. This is vengeance. This is politicking of the lowest kind.

Dennypoos................ will now retire to the garden, to pootle, in the hope that this may remove the stench of political shenanigans from himself.