Following the Diary piece in the Times on the 12 August regarding my upcoming joint Parliamentary reception with Sam Tarry MP, an abridged comment piece was published correcting the record and showing this is in fact a family celebration and not a 'leaving party.' The piece read as follows:
'Sir, Following the Diary piece (Aug 12) about my joint reception with Sam Tarry in parliament on September 16 I would like to correct any impression that this is a “leaving” party for us both. Sam (Labour MP for Ilford South) and I are first cousins, a generation removed, and were both elected in 2019, for different parties. The reception is principally for the family we have in common, descended from Albert George Blunt (1892-54) and his wife Claudia (née Wintle) (1898-1975). I haven’t been able to find a similar modern example of a couple wholly unconnected to politics producing two parliamentarians within three generations.
Crispin Blunt
Conservative MP for Reigate'
The published comment was unfortunately incomplete. The full, unabridged version of my comment, which I submitted to the Times, read as follows:
"Sir,
Following the Times Diary piece [12 Aug 2023] about Sam Tarry and my joint reception at Parliament on 16th September I would like to correct any impression this is some kind of “leaving” party for us both. Sam (MP Ilford South 2019-) and I are first cousins, although a generation removed. Having both been elected to the 2019 Parliament, if for different parties, the reception is principally for the family we have in common descended from Albert George Blunt (1892-54) and his wife Claudia (nee Wintle) (1898-1975). No doubt this letter will invite correction, but I haven’t been able to find a similar modern example of a wholly unpolitically connected couple producing two parliamentarians within three generations.
It is this we are celebrating, if delayed a bit by Covid, and I would observe from my side of the aisle, whilst I might be leaving after over 26 years as MP for Reigate, whatever the outcome in Ilford South, the future Labour Party would be as unwise to do without the talents of Sam Tarry in Parliament, as much as they would be unfair in blaming him for being related to this Conservative!
Yours etc
Crispin Blunt MP"