Cherie ripe

The Guardian reports that Cherie Blair is to defy "sexist" criticism and continue with her public appearances. The paper says she has

defended her appearances, telling her Washington audience last week that the attacks on her were sexist. Denis Thatcher, she said, had never received such criticism.

Well, it may be that Denis Thatcher escaped criticism because he was a man. But I think it is more likely to be because he never, in an extraordinary blend of greed and crass judgement, accepted £30,000 to appear in a question and answer session about life in Downing Street, as Cherie Blair did last week in Washington.

Mind you, I bet Denis would have provided better value than Cherie if he had ever done that.