'One eyed drivel' or not, and coming from the master of drivel and the high priest of the non-sequitur himself, I will look on that as something of a compliment; backhanded though it may be.
You are quite right in your assertion that we have rarely agreed, though I am tempted to speculate that the fault lies more with you and your choice of politics than with me and my choice of none at all. But we need not be judgemental about this.
What Guido Fawkes (Paul Staines) either wants or does not want is a matter between himself and his conscience, and is of no interest to me. Though knowing Paul, as I do, I am sure that whatever he wrote is likely to be decidedly uncomplimentary and, sadly, invariably true, to a degree.
I really don't want to get into slanging match over the degree of truth, I have never found the splitting of hairs to be an acceptable pastime for an adult and to be frank I really can think of better ways of spending what little time remains to me.
So, there is a simple way to settle the matter once and for all and that is by answering as honestly as you can, and in no more than your own words, the following question. It is quite a simple question and all that is required as an answer is two numbers.
I choose, still, to pay you the compliment of regarding you as an honest man, despite past disappointments and your bizarre political allegiances. I will therefore make no attempt to verify the answer you give, but I will believe whatever you tell me, because I still believe you to be an honest man.
Question:
How many persons termed 'intern' have worked with you at Westminster since you became a Member of Parliament to the present day and, of those, how many of them have been paid, at minimum, the National Minimum Wage?
Note: By "worked" I mean time spent, no matter how long or how short, in matters or activities which contributed to, or advanced your work as a Member of Parliament.
I am indebted to
About.com: Need. Know. Accomplish. for the following definition:
"An internship is a pre-professional experience that provides an opportunity to gain relevant knowledge and skills prior to starting out in a particular career field."