There was a well-written article by columnist Jenni Russell in The Times Thursday, although I found it painful reading in places. It was responding to Prime Minister David Cameron’s conference speech on Wednesday. He spoke of a “land of opportunity”, which left Russell “incredulous”. “What was the connection between his splendid aims and people’s real lives?” she asked. “Inequality has …
The Olympics: no, no – it was my idea (honest)
For sure, it’s been an odd fortnight in my neck of the woods. I was struggling to come up with a comparison but ended up concluding it was a benign version of Paris under the Nazis. Strange and foreign insignia hang from every building and lamppost, with foreign and lost-looking dignitaries wandering around in “staff cars” wearing an alien uniform …
A gold medal in cynicism
The talk in the office early this week was of the empty seats at the Olympics. I couldn’t resist responding with my usual cynicism regarding the media coverage of such events. That headline had been written long before the games started, I said. The media was simply waiting for the first few inevitable rows of unused IOC seats to pounce: …