WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Since the first Christmas card in 1999 when William was leader of the Conservative party, press reactions to the choice of imagery have been wide and varied ranging from the writer who took great issue with Mackenzie's card where the Shepherd was Leading from behind and likened it to William and the Tories...

When this story hit the press, Richmond was awash with both puzzled indignant and typical Yorkshire humour, a typical example being the farmer who rushed into Arthaus, article in hand saying , bloody idiots, don't they know that you can't lead sheep from the front you have to behind them...

What a star! - This top farmer had never set foot inside a gallery before, but here he was telling it as it was, and supporting its local hero Mackenzie. He came down from the dale and said his piece it didn't matter what political stance anybody had, it is the very fact that people here are proud, hardworking and see things as they are.. There aren't coded messages in the sheep's faces as another writer purports and just for the record Janet Street Porter, you cannot get Mackenzie's cards in Woolies...

Using the old adage 'if god spares us’, hopefully William & Ffion will ask Mackenzie to draw another sheep image for this year. The occasional year when they have departed from this tradition has met with disappointment from those lucky folks on their Christmas card who now eagerly await the new image with gusto.

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