Art and politics

Yesterday morning I had breakfast at the Courtauld Gallery, before joining a group of people to view their collection of Turner watercolours, spanning his lifetime from the age of 16 to 60. The exhibition has been boosted by a bequest from the Scharf family, of seven watercolours never before seen by the public. Of course, this is not a rival to the amazing Turner collection at the Tate Britain, but if you are among those who believe that J M W Turner is one of the world's greatest artists, this show is a must, and as they are all on display in one room, easily enjoyed during a lunch hour. Highly recommended.

At lunchtime, I spoke at the RAC Club, arranged by the Patrons Club of the West Northants Conservative Association, who, although they represent two safe Conservative seats, were the first to admit that the result of the next election was not a forgone conclusion. South Northamptonshire's new candidate, Andrea Leadsom, a former banker who has now decided to give public service, looks like a future front bench spokesman, and exactly the sort of person politics needs at the present time. The talk was of course about yesterday's mini-budget, which is exactly what it was, and where we would all be in a year's time, let alone on the proposed election date of May 2010. I'll try to remember to write a blog a year today, and see how accurate the Chancellor of the Exchequer's predictions have turned out to be.