I MUST say how proud I am that a fellow Sotonian is our new Prime Minister and a 'mush' to boot!

This is a local Southampton colloquialism although sometimes borrowed by other areas of the UK as well as claims emanating from the Romany language.

Some historians relate the friendly term deriving from the Middle Ages when French ships docked at the port with the word ‘Monsieur’ abbreviated to ‘Mush’.

Also to congratulate Rishi Sunak on being our youngest ever leader and from an ethnic background which shows how diverse our great country is. I also have obscure links to him, being born at the same Southampton General Hospital albeit many years before.

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He also worked as a waiter at Kuti’s Restaurant – one of Southampton’s finest landmarks as the former gatehouse to the old Royal Pier which housed the much-missed Pavilion Ballroom that burnt down in the eighties.

This popular dance hall was the actual venue that saw the start of my long showbiz career as a ten year old rock’n’roll singer in 1958, leading to singing with Hampshire pop groups until 1972 when launching a solo comedy/vocal career and still at it after some 64 years!

Coming from a working class background, I was lucky enough to attain an Itchen Grammar school education but dropped out as music took my life over, still managing to achieve a Guinness World Record for most appearances (34) as a TV quiz show contestant in 2014!

One other link - my father was born in Richmond, whose own constituents must also be feeling proud of their MP's new position as we all wish him luck in the face of the great challenges ahead.

Ex-Woolstonian David St John

Cannock, Staffordshire

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