A thing about Tories and drugs

My late grandfather Bill Deedes, journalist and Tory Cabinet minister, was an upstanding sort on the whole. But the hilarity at the Commons debate on legal highs this week, and in particular at Crispin Blunt’s admission that he takes poppers, reminded me of an excellent story about him.

It was in 1955 when he was about to address the Tory Conference but feeling a bit peaky with a cold. The solution, he decided, was to take two Purple Hearts, offered to him by his cousin, Rachel Grylls (Bear’s grandmother, if you’re interested). Purple Hearts swallowed, Grandpa sallied on to the stage and all was well. Turns out Tories have been dropping pills for decades.

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