‘Distracted from distraction by distraction’ was one way in which T.S. Eliot described the inhabitants of ‘this twittering world’ in his Four Quartets. Eliot’s words seem more accurate today than even he might have expected. With the apparently ceaseless intrusion into our lives of permanent media feeds, gossip reported as news and news reported as
On Wednesday evening, Andrew Neil, Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth presented The Spectator’s Budget Briefing at the Savoy Hotel. Here is the handout that accompanied their presentation: Here’s the presentation with accompanying audio (click here to view full screen):
‘We’d like to have a problem with our drink tonight.’
‘I lost two stone in just 40 days and 40 nights!’
‘You’re in a queue ... Maybe it’s time you started watching that boxset.’
‘This bag of white crystals I found in your room — please tell me it’s drugs, not sugar.’
‘The point is, Mark, if you can’t stop checking out other girls I’m leaving you ...Mark, are you listening to me?’
‘Hold it! Take five! Wrong castle.’
‘Ophelia — what a lovely name.’
‘It could be just another benefit tourist.’
‘The makeover involves ripping him out and starting again from scratch.’
‘Time to tighten our green belts.’
‘Apostrophes?’
‘This is the naughty step.’
‘Henry, come down from there and meet your new babysitter.’
Joining the club Sir: As Robert Hardman notes (Royal notebook, 16 March), not only is the C back in FCO but these days there is a waiting list of countries interested in joining, or being more closely associated with, the Commonwealth. I have a list of at least half a dozen, and even some strong
Big ask Birmingham Council asked residents, in a survey on wheelie bins, whether they were gay or bisexual. Some more nosey questions asked by councils: — Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned with at birth? (Consultation into relief road near Manchester Airport) — Which of the following describes your
Dangerous, unfair, verging on kleptomania: the bailout deal proposed by the EU at the weekend and rejected by Cyprus MPs on Tuesday is everything it has been described as over the past few days, and worse. Now it has been established that the EU views bank depositors as a potential piggy bank to be raided
