Straight or slanted cuts for roses?

I was recently examining Royal Horticultural students for their Wisley Diploma and was discussing the rose pruning practical with my good friend and expert horticulturist, Mr Ray Broughton. 

We were discussing the assessment criteria and Ray informed me that it is RHS policy to use straight (horizontal) cuts when pruning roses rather than slanting ones. Until recently, we were advised to make slanted cuts at an angle of 45 degrees to the main stem to prevent water settling on the pruning cut and encouraging fungal infection. Now I have never agonised over the angle of cut as rose stems are seldom vertical and as long as the cut is made cleanly just above a bud with a sharp pair of quality secateurs, you will be fine. 

My point is that you will never find consensus amongst horticulturists about rose pruning, there are still some who advocate the use of hedge trimmers ( I do not) and  have their own techniques at variance with others. If your rose pruning technique works, stick to it.

There are so many ways to prune roses