Gerald Shufflebottom

Gerald Shufflebottom was born in Nob End, Greater Manchester, a fact he considers both character-forming and sufficient explanation for most of his professional choices. He has been Eleutheria's Rural Affairs correspondent since 2003, covering agricultural policy, parish council disputes, planning controversies, hedgerow archaeology, and whatever is happening in Twatt, where he maintains what he describes as "a watching brief" and what Councillor Pratt describes as "an unwelcome presence." Gerald is the publication's foremost authority on Councillor Herbert Pratt (Lib Dem), a distinction he has mixed feelings about. He has visited Wolverhampton twice for professional reasons and is still processing the second visit. He wears a flat cap in all weathers and all professional contexts including, on one occasion, a Downing Street briefing. Nobody said anything. He lives in rural Shropshire with a lurcher called Keith.