The Joy of Six 1141

A report from Chatham House deconstructs 16 myths and misconceptions that shape contemporary Western thinking on Russia: "Crimea has been in Russian hands for only a fraction of its history. If unchallenged, the Kremlin’s fiction that Crimea willingly and legitimately 'rejoined' Russia risks further undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity and encouraging other expansionist powers."

"This system of control is replicated across the main parties in local government and, increasingly, in the selection procedure for parliamentary candidates: both the Conservatives and Labour are trying to ensure that any new MP will already be whip compliant. A dearth of ideas, diversity, discussion, innovation and local accountability is the inevitable result." Tabitha Troughton on the whipping system in British politics.

Alison Teal says the Sheffield street tree scandal is what happens when a dominant group asserts such absolute power that listening to alternate views is considered weakness

 Jon recalls being subject to electroconvulsive therapy without his consent.

"There are already rumours of the fact that people can only tell Putin what he wants to hear. So, they, the military, presented him with this case in advance that the war would be a very quick thing, that the people in Ukraine would rise up... And that's what happens when you spread fear and terror, which is what The Death of Stalin is about, really." Armando Iannucci talks to Radio Free Europe.

Simon Matthews looks at the life and death of British Lion Films, the UK’s nationalised film company.