Bitter rivalries

Heirs to a fine old tradition of political rivalry

Two hundred years ago two of the most senior members of the Cabinet met on London's Putney Heath.

The purpose of their meeting was not to discuss some complicated matter of government business. No. They had arranged to meet in order to kill each other.

George Canning and Lord Castlereagh were political rivals and although neither man was hurt in their duel, the political consequences included the fall of the government.

This particular rivalry is one of eight that the political historian John Campbell writes about in his book Pistols At Dawn.

When I spoke to him I began by asking him about an earlier rivalry, the one between Pitt and Fox.