John Watson
The term "humanitarian aid" tells its own story. That when disasters happen it is a basic, and inherently human, response to rush to the aid of the victims.
Richard Holloway
On October 7, 1948, the BBC Third Programme broadcast a discussion on the role of the writer in society. One of the participants was Graham Greene. Greene believed that to artists the kindness of the state was more dangerous than its indifference. He pointed out that in the Soviet Union artists belonged to a privileged
class, but the state had asked in return that they should cease to be artists. He said this danger did not only exist in totalitarian countries. The bourgeois state, too, had its compromising gifts to offer artists.
On Monday, Prince Harry got a medal from his Auntie Anne; recognition, with other members of his regiment, for his foreshortened service in Afghanistan. Today, with his brother, he'll host a fundraising military pageant at St Paul's complete with marching marines and an RAF flypast. Yesterday, by absolutely no coincidence, the Defence Secretary announced a funding package for Headley Court, the joint forces rehabilitation unit visited by the young princes last month with the massed ranks of the media in attendance.
Everyone knows how tough it is to get a
mortgage these days. Times are hard, despite the best efforts of the Labour government. Many congratulations, then, to Mr and Mrs Blair, of
London, on having secured the home of their dreams.
Whatever happened to common sense? It's caught Tinkerbell's disease. It's a pale, wan version of its former self, clinging to existence by a thread. If you don't know what I'm talking about take a look back through the news.
Wendy Alexander
has been clear and
consistent in her support for a constitutional referendum, one of her allies insists. This was not a U-turn. No, it was just that she hadn't previously spoken publicly about it.
My text this morning comes from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 53, beginning at the first verse: “And it came to pass that Jeremiah entereth the territory of Ba-rack and stirreth up trouble and gnashing of teeth among the tribes."
ALISTAIR BONNINGTON
It is sadly typical of certain
lay members of the Scottish
Judicial Appointments Board that they should endeavour to draw public attention away from
the board's shortcomings by making a public pronouncement on the
lack of female candidates and
candidates from ethnic minorities. On female applicants for judicial posts, they are quite wrong in what they have stated.
MERVYN King, Sir John Gieve and David Blanchflower are all members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. Collectively, they make up one-third of its membership. Their role, in the words of one of them, is to promote monetary and financial stability in the United Kingdom. So, at turbulent times such as these, what have they got to say for themselves?
Not so long ago a pub in rural England was trashed by a gang of yobs as they indulged in a drunken brawl. Some of them spent the night in cells at Abingdon police station.
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