I received an email from a friend and scientific collaborator of mine who works at the University of Frankfurt. By chance, he happens to live in the town, Friedberg, near Frankfurt, that was twinned with my home town of Bishop's Stortford.
He wondered if I had heard that Bishop's Stortford had unilaterally decided to break off its town-twinning arrangements with both Friedberg, and Villiers-sur-Marne, near Paris. I hadn't, and a quick bit of research reveals an article in the graun about it. According to my friend, it has caused quite a stir. Not so much that the Conservative council would countenance breaking away per se, but that they would do it unilaterally, sending a letter informing the other towns of the decision, without so much as a farewell party, looking back at the good times.
Frankly, I think it's embarrassing, but I'll carry on working with my colleague. Next time I visit him, perhaps I can take a trip to Friedberg and send some personal greetings from Bishop's Stortford. There's only so much I can personally do to help our continental neighbours think well of us...
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