Barnet's Dream Team - The new Stan Laurel

"That's another fine mess you've got me into". After searching far and wide, those clever casting directors have found the perfect Stan Laurel to complete the mayoral team. Those of us lucky enough to be at the Hendon residents forum will know that Councillor Hugh Rayner will be the new deputy mayor.

Not only is Councillor Rayner a dead ringer for Stan Laurel, he also has his deadpan comic timing down to a tee. During the discussion about the appalling state of the football pitches at Burnt Oak leisure centre, Councillor Rayner interjected to say "I often use the leisure centre, it's fantastic". I replied "Do you ever go round the back to look at the pitches". With perfect timing Stanley replied "No". That wily old fox of a chairman Councillor John Hart saw that Stanley was taking aim at his other foot and stepped in to rescue him, cutting across with "Watling Boys club, marvellous, I used to be the President". For a second I thought he meant that he ran the USA prior to Richard Nixon, then I realised that the moment was gone and Stanley's foot would live to walk another day.

Now don't get me wrong. Councillor Rayner is a fine chap. Very hard working, always turns up to the Residents forum. He is also very pleasant and personable. He has the good sense to be a customer of mine buying many items from my music shop. He doesn't have the arrogant condescending air of one or two of the councillors I could name. If you met him in the pub or cricket club, you could strike up a conversation about how sad the demise of green doors in Barnet is, or whether Hendon ad Edgware Cricket club need a better spin bowler, without even realising he's a councillor. I'm sure that he'll do a fine job presenting Old ladies with their telegram from the Queen on their hundredth birthday, so I'm not criticising him.

I'm just saying that he really reminds me of Stan Laurel and in the circumstances, I guess he's the perfect choice.