“The Foreign Office was furious when Spanish border police opened a diplomatic bag in Gibraltar last year, but maybe it was just to spare their blushes at what our attachés carry.”
Thus spake The Times the other day. And, needless to say, my mind drifted off in other directions than the stuffed penguin that the newspaper proceeded to discuss.
Canes for the British International School, educating the daughters of diplomats and local dignitaries?
Tawses for lasses working in our embassies abroad whilst still on their civil service training scheme?
Or job lots of top grade rattan being brought back from the Far East, to be used by the gentlemen members of a private club, meeting monthly in Mayfair to deal with an ever-changing selection of young ladies procured or donated for their use and pleasure?