Thursday, December 20, 2018

Six of the Best 838

"The undeniable reality is that the House of Commons needs to clean up its act, that PMQs has been reduced to a pantomime and 'unparliamentary' behaviour tolerated far more than it should be. Instead of the undignified sight of Tories turning on the Speaker for upholding parliamentary procedure, perhaps efforts would be better spent on overdue reform of both procedure and the chamber itself?" Andrew Page offers his thoughts on Stupidgate.

"Liberal Democrats ought to be cautioning against risking council finances on volatile investments, and there is an alternative, one which would have wider social benefits than property investment, and that is to invest in building social housing." Mark Valladeres fears the next crisis in local government funding may not be far away.

Iain Dale on being phoned by someone considering suicide: "I won't go into all the details of the conversation but during it Michael told me that when he was referred to NHS mental health services he was told there would be a two year wait for treatment. Even when he phoned the Samaritans he was told there would be a thirty minute wait to talk to anyone."

"For some reason George Orwell’s funeral service was one of the most harrowing I have ever attended," wrote Anthony Powell. Hilary Sprurling looks at Orwell's final days.

Boak & Bailey reveal the secrets of the ubiquitous Doom Bar's success.

Lisa Lane was "the first chess player on the cover of Sports Illustrated. (Fischer followed, a decade later, as the second and the last.)" Emma Baccellieri remembers a forgotten American woman chess player.

1 comment:

nigel hunter said...

Ian Dales article in a subtle way attacks the NHS where, for it to work well, it needs funding.Its failings are pointed out. Its faults should be addressed however its successes also should be pointed out as not all is wrong with it.To me it follows the long held attacks on the EU that have continued over the years to denigrate the EU. I fear that this 'ammo' is now being redirected in the following years towards destroying the NHS.