Q. As chairman of the parish council, I am required, along with a local member of the aristocracy, to judge the best red, white and blue outfit and the best hat at the forthcoming village Diamond Jubilee celebration. The potential diplomatic pitfalls are legion. I have thought of saying that I have, during the occasion, been texting pictures to our MP (who happens to be the Prime Minister) and claiming the selection was his. However, I fear that this deception may result in me ending up in front of some inquiry or other. Can you suggest a better way to negotiate this — as far as I am concerned — no-win situation?
— C.C., Ramsden, Oxfordshire
A. You are right to be concerned. No matter how just your judgment, you will inevitably become the focus of resentment. For some contestants, such local competitions are metaphors for their whole life struggle. Sidestep the potential legacy of hatred by devolving responsibility and calling instead for a referendum.
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