The grumpy English expatriate tends to cut a faintly ludicrous figure. Usually male, invariably middle-aged, he takes a bilious view of the country where he was born and, with an unattractive combination of the sour and the smug, sounds off about the many ways in which it is in decline. Modern Britain is ill-mannered, over-crowded,… Continue reading Elvis Costello is right about England
Read moreIn its latest season of scandals, the BBC has offered us some rare treats. There was the Blue Peter cat outrage, a rich variety of phone-in scams, the allegation that a lovely newsreader, Moira Stewart, was being fired on grounds of age and, of course, a return of that old favourite, Jonathan Ross’s salary. Yet… Continue reading Why does the BBC worship Poliakoff?
Read moreIf an artist were commissioned to capture, in heroic mode, key scenes from early 21st century Britain, one of the first tableaux to be painted would be one entitled The Blonde at Bay. For at any one time, there will a public figure – youngish, female, pretty, fair-haired – who is the focus of the… Continue reading Heather Mills is right – she is a victim of bullying
Read moreIt is a rough and tough culture shock to travel back to England from Australia at this time of the year. There it is springtime and the swallows have just arrived from the north; here the nights are closing in and the leaves are falling from the trees. But more striking than the contrast in… Continue reading Despair has eaten into the British soul
Read moreThought for the day. Ah, yes, right, jolly good. We like thoughts, don’t we? No need to go over the top and become a complete and utter swot (thank you Willett, you can go now) but no one in politics should be a downright thicko (and goodnight to you, Prescott). When it comes to appealing… Continue reading English, eccentric and endearing: how Boris wins votes
Read moreHullo, children. Today we’re going to meet one of the happiest families that has ever wobbled, hopped skipped or fallen flat on their faces in a children’s book! How do I know they are happy? Because a little bird tells me that their little stories and characters were once sold for £28m. Hurrah for the… Continue reading Mr Makeover proves a hit with the Misters and Misses
Read moreDeliberations surrounding this year’s Man Booker Prize have gone ominously quiet. Normally by this time, there should have been leaks, threats of walk-outs, and at least one revelation that a judge has been sleeping with a long-listed author. It is almost as if the team this year have simply been reading the novels in anticipation… Continue reading Booker Prize scandals we have loved (and imagined…)
Read moreThe weekenders are gone now, their interest in the countryside disappearing at almost the precise moment when those other fair weather-friends, the swallows, have deserted us. The dew is heavy on the grass, the nights are closing in. A few late visitors may have lagged behind, bewildered and barbecue-less, and will catch a brief glimpse… Continue reading The countryside in winter – that’s where the action is
Read moreWhen a person in public life compares himself to a plate of food, it is almost a sign that he is in a bad place, psychologically. So Peter Bazalgette’s remarks on resigning from Endemol, the production company responsible for Big Brother, naturally caused me concern. Bazalgette must be some kind of cousin of mine –… Continue reading The new wave of reality TV stars are a bunch of animals
Read moreEver since it was announced last month that the heir to the throne was working with Hollywood on ideas for a documentary film, those of us in the environmental movement have been trying to find out more about the project. Agonisingly, all we have told is that, excited by the success of Al Gore’s An… Continue reading The green prince and the queen bee of Hollywood
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