Like half of Britain, I was glued in front of the television last night watching the third episode of A Very English Scandal as it went out live. I have found that absolutely everybody has a view on it – generally about the awfulness of Thorpe, his appalling hypocrisy, dishonesty, and general smarminess, so beautifully and persuasively enacted by Hugh Grant, So, it was a pleasure to sit next to someone tonight who knew Thorpe in the House of Commons before he was outed and remembered him only for his charm, compassion and generosity to a fellow MP, even of another party.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
John Preston argues that he was all those things – and an effective constituency MP, progressive on decolonisation in Africa and a good Liberal leader.
Marshall Colman is right. He had many good characteristic and attitudes. John Preston tells the story of the Norman Scott affair very well but that doesn’t allow him to consider the many positives aspects of Thorpe.
What the real tragedy was that homosexuals relationships were outside the law – and this must have lead to many such devastating circumstances. Thank goodness that has changed.
Yes, I thought the film was very good in the way that it treated the consequences of illegality. Charles
While Russell T. Davis’ screenplay is wonderful, it does portray Thorpe in the light of contemporary mores and prejudices, and neglects his brilliance and depth. The loss of people of his substance in British politics is palpable, despite his flaws. I’m now watching The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal (https://bbc.in/2JhNDuz), Tom Mangold’s contemporaneous documentary, which ended up hidden from public view as securely as the police dossier on Thorpe.