Start the Week

A fine edition of Start the Week on Radio 4 this morning (to which you can listen again via its web page). Andrew Marr began with a minor faux pas to tease out the pedant in me. He declared that it was five years since the start of the norties but it's six. I share Chris Patten's mildly optimistic view of where the world is now, he's particularly sound on the USA. It's strange that he's still a Tory but perhaps he's braver than, for example, the gang of four who fled Labour to form the SDP all those years ago. If only they'd waited for New Labour. Maybe Mr P's patience will be rewarded but I doubt it.

Very little News today. The Guardian hasn't published today and who can blame them for wanting Christmas Day free? William Rees-Mogg in the Times is reduced to writing about the trial of Marie Antoinette but, rather surprisingly, doesn't seem to blame Tony Blair in any way. Today's Great Worry seems to concern the forecast of poor weather later in the week. Cliché lovers should prepare for reports of atrocious driving conditions.

Dull ain’t it? Better luck tomorrow.......