Fresh from the jungle, Nadine Dorries is the Spectator’s diarist for this week. As well as observing that each of her 11 fellow contestants on I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here! was ‘probably more right wing than I am’, she also explains why she thought it was acceptable for a ‘working class woman
Anyone picking up a newspaper in recent days will have noticed that the press has been writing a lot about itself. Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry into press practices and ethics has created anxiety at a time when newspapers were already haemorrhaging sales and influence. David Cameron’s government’s response to the report is nervously awaited, and
‘Would you mind if some students watch while you seethe with irritation at the long wait and staff shortages?’
‘All I’m saying is that despite going to Eton, working in the oil industry and being a Christian he may turn out to be quite a nice person.’
‘It followed me all the way home — can I keep it?’
‘It had to happen — statutory regulation!’
‘It’s too tight, too short and too expensive — I’ll take it.’
‘Isn’t it green bin day?’
‘It’s bread and water — I’m on an austerity binge.’
‘I can’t believe we’re watching this. It seems he really can make people do things against their will.’
‘He’s really disappointed there isn’t a Batphone.’
‘Your very own lawsuit from Lord McAlpine! Receive it in the post in time for Christmas!’
‘How come you never send me 30,000 emails?’
For and against Petraeus Sir: The attack on General David Petraeus (17 November) by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos of Antiwar.com was mean-minded, trivial and wrong. After the overthrow of Saddam in 2003, Petraeus garrisoned Northern Iraq, where his determination to improve services as well as security diminished resistance to the US-led occupation. In 2007, Iraq was
Stage and screen Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap has notched up its 60th anniversary and its 25,000th performance, by far the longest run of a stage show. Yet for all its longevity, relatively few people have seen it compared with some television dramas. — The Mousetrap played at the 440-seat New Ambassadors Theatre until 1974.