Was Michael Parkinson the greatest chat show host on British television? He certainly has a strong rival for that crown, and one who was active during his Seventies prime. Here's Mavis Nicholson talking to J.G. Ballard and on afternoon television too. If you search YouTube you will find a goldmine of her interviews, with subjects from James Baldwin to Elvis Costello. Maybe it's no coincidence that she and Parkinson began in an era before no one appeared on a chat show unless they had something to sell. Intelligent conversation with celebrities was, I think, more easily achieved in those innocent ...
Sat 19th
19:52
I may be related to a Tollesbury Cannibal: I am definitely related to a Tollesbury Pirate
Embed from Getty ImagesI don't know what your family's like, but it looks like I've got a cannibal and a pirate in mine. In June I made the worrying discovery that I may be related to one of the Tollesbury Cannibals. He was Thomas Dudley, the captain of the the yacht Mignonette, which foundered on her maiden voyage from that Essex village to Australia in 1884. The crew took to an open boat and killed and partly consumed the 17-year-old cabin boy. After they were rescued, two of the survivors, including Dudley, were tried for murder and the third gave ...
Welcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention poll from each pollster currently operating in Britain. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: Understanding different polling firms You may find these posts useful: 'Waiting for Survation': a reminder of the value of checking the evidence. YouGov: is it biased to the Conservatives? Frequently Asked Questions Why isn't ...
The well-worn phrase "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" has ancient roots. It dates back 7,000 years to the Sanskrit literature of India's Vedas. The Romans and the Koran adapted it to their political needs. In Modern times it has been repeatedly applied. Possibly the most famous examples are Churchill and Stalin, and Mao and Nixon. This weekend President Joe Biden will use the well-worn diplomatic axiom to try and persuade the leaders of South Korea and Japan that they should bury deep-rooted historical animosities to unite against the common enemies China, North Korea and Russia. All three ...
The Independent reports that government research has found that British firms are increasingly pessimistic about the benefits of post-Brexit free trade deals. The paper says that the Department for Business and Trade's survey of more than 3,000 companies revealed that three out five (58 per cent) now think the free trade deals will have no positive impact on their business. That's up from 54 per cent in the previous year - a sign of growing dismay about the opportunities the agreements can offer, despite promises that Brexit can help boost "global Britain".: Less than one third (31 per cent) of ...
Today is World Humanitarian Day. According to the United Nations website: This year, our World Humanitarian Day campaign brings together the global humanitarian community to mark the twentieth anniversary of the attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, and to show our unwavering commitment to deliver for the communities we serve, no matter who, no matter where and #NoMatterWhat. Humanitarians have no other purpose than to save and protect lives and deliver the basic necessities of life, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the communities they serve and bring hope. On 19 August, we come together to honour humanitarians ...
In early 2016, work began on a campaign which was intended to raise awareness of carers in Dundee. Funding for this came through The Carers Partnership and the planning group for the campaign consisted of staff from local statutory and voluntary agencies and carers of various ages. This work was led by Dundee Carers Centre. Dundee Carers Centre is based at 134 Seagate and runs a large programme for carers in Dundee - support, events, courses and activities to support carers in their caring role. Activities take place right across the city, including our own area, and you can see ...
