After John Cleese asked his Twitter followers why “half-educated tenement Scots” are allowed to run the English press, Fraser Nelson had to look up the term. Since the Speccie editor isn’t “educated, cultured and intelligent” (in the words of Cleese) his regular Telegraph column standing up for press freedom was merely an example of how his “craving for social status” makes him an “obedient retainer”.

Why do we let half-educated tenement Scots run our English press ? Because their craving for social status makes them obedient retainers ? https://t.co/uCXEvbZssE

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

Fraser hits back today in the Telegraph today:

“his writing fell short of the standards expected of a Spectator contributor – which is why his status as a contributing editor did not last longer than his first article. An expensive education, you see, can’t buy you everything.”

Indeed Cleese’s first and only piece in 2009 was so dull and unfunny that they never had him back. Not much has changed since then.