Monthly Archives: September 2008

I am in a very rainy Liverpool on a Culture and Education visit to the city, the 2008 European Capital of Culture. Liverpool is regaining its 1960s spirit. Its cultural life is vibrant, innovative, sometimes reaching exceptional heights. It has … Continue reading →

So Congress has rejected the financial rescue package, plunging the world into an ever deepening financial crisis. And who is it that the British people trust the most, by a large lead, to steer them through these difficult times? Why, … Continue reading →

I recently received an email. The writers do not want their names published, as you will understand from reading it. Dear Mary, Thank you for taking such a strong line in helping families to have children. Ruth Kelly and those … Continue reading →

At the risk of awakening all your pent up hostility to MEPs, I’m going to talk about the excellent meeting over dinner I had yesterday evening. Two Cypriot MEPs, Ioannis Kasoulides and Panayiotis Demetriou , invited those MEPs who are … Continue reading →

So Ruth Kelly, our only Opus Dei Cabinet member, is to leave the government. While her ostensible reason is to spend more time with her young family, the “Today” programme and maybe others believe this is not the full story. … Continue reading →

The man hath certainly cometh. Gordon Brown’s speech had everything, not least that this will be the “British century” thanks to our scientific genius, our cultural industries and our language, to name but a few. An upbeat fighting speech indeed, … Continue reading →

All the evidence suggests that Alistair Darling’s assertion that we are facing the worst financial situation for 60 years is spot on. Venerable American banking and insurance institutions plus Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae have bitten the dust while our … Continue reading →