Rum, Sodomy and the Lifejacket

"Rum, Sodomy and the Lifejacket" is a satirical skit by British columnist Richard Littlejohn. It first appeared in "The Sun" newspaper in October 2004.

Inspired by the bicentennial celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar, the article explores what would have happened if the Royal Navy had had to put up with "political correctness", "compensation culture" and the "nanny state". It consists of a conversation between Lord Nelson and Captain Thomas Hardy.

Since appearing in "The Sun", the skit has been spread widely around the Internet, with Littlejohn's writing credit removed. Some people have tried to pass off the work as their own, submitting it to publications such as the "Daily Mail" and "Saga". A previous Littlejohn skit, "Asylum!", suffered a similar fate. However, in his recent book, "Littlejohn's Britain", he has stated that he considers plagiarism a form of flattery and doesn't care about his article being passed off as other people's work, but drew the line when Conservative Party member Lord Steinberg used the skit as his maiden speech in the House of Lords to great success.

External links

* [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=30741 Is Littlejohn's Column Turning Into A Saga?] - Press Gazette article about the plagiarism of the piece