Society

Successful political leaders hold in their minds some idea of what Mrs Thatcher called ‘Our People’. In this context, I do not mean the whole population of the country they seek to lead, or the core of the party they belong to. I mean that group of people with whose aspirations they most wish to identify. In making that identification, they combine direct self-interest – getting their floating vote – with a wider view about who are most important for the nation’s future prosperity and good order. In the Thatcher era, such people were the famous C2s, first-generation home-buyers, millions who could expect not only to earn but also to

The annual Panorama documentary on Lucy Letby appeared on BBC 1 this week, barely a week after a more one-sided pro-Letby documentary was shown on ITV. Channel 4 has a Letby show in the works and Channel 5 has already broadcast two. Fortunately, there is plenty of material for producers to get their teeth into. Not only did her trial last ten months but there was a retrial after that, plus two appeal attempts, and her supporters have been making new claims on any almost weekly basis ever since. Hundreds of pieces of evidence could be cited, almost all of it circumstantial but almost all of it pointing an accusing finger

Labour is reported to be considering lowering the drink driving limit from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath to just 22 micrograms. This would bring England and Wales in line with Scotland. Does justice for potential victims of car crashes demand this? Although drawing the line on permissible risk is an incredibly difficult moral problem; empirical evidence shows lowering the drink-driving limit will make no difference, and motorists should probably not be required to give up yet more of their liberty either. Lowering the drink driving limit is all costs and no benefits In England and Wales today an average man is legally permitted to have around two

I haven’t written a poem in memory of Biddy Baxter, stern matriarch of Blue Peter, who died yesterday but here is one I made earlier. First, a brief thought on the programme that she edited from 1962-1988. On one level, it was just a magazine show for children – a bit of chat, a few guests, a craft section (famous for its use of ‘sticky-back plastic’, as they weren’t allowed to say Sellotape, and the phrase ‘here’s one I made earlier’). But on another level it was our virtual community, our virtual school, our first taste of national culture. Baxter decided against having Paul McCartney on the show. What a

My Oxfordshire taproom used to sing on Fridays: carpenters, teachers and office clerks, knackered from the week’s graft, would elbow for pints in a natural democracy of nods and grins. The bar was a grand leveller – toff or tiler, all waited their turn and banter stitched the room together. Post-pandemic, that tune has gone quiet. Now, working from home has throttled the after-work scrum and business limps across midweek evenings. The pub trade has troubles, no question. Energy bills, up a fifth in a year, are choking profits. National Insurance hikes, the return of the full charge of VAT and rocketing business rates (some landlords face £20,000 a year)