The Diary raises a toast to Andrew Turner, former cheerleader-in-chief to the grant-maintained sector, and head of policy and resources for Southwark Council’s education department until April. He finally made it to the House of Commons last Thursday, on his third attempt, as the new Conservative Member for the Isle of Wight.
Also charge your glasses for Mr Turner’s fiancee Carol Dennett, now in her sixth year in the role. Back in 1995, as he sought nomination for a parliamentaryseat, a smitten but level-headed Mr Turner informed the diary that nuptials were due“after the local Government elections”. When we touched base with the old romantic, as he geared up for an ultimately fruitless parliamentary campaign in 1997, a teary-eyed diary was predicting a glittering white wedding on the island once the elections were done. When we rang Mr Turner’s office this week, we were told the union was still eagerly awaited. The date? “Mind your own business.”
