Stick to politics, Dave! After all, you're not exactly a raving success at it so you need all the practice you can get, so, if I were you I would leave the moralising to 'Archbish' Welby even if he is prone to the occasional pratfall. Of course, we all agree, well, 98.5% of us do, that child pornography is abhorrent but your attempts to ban it from the internet are doomed to failure and whilst you might earn a few half-hearted cheers today for your gallant(?) campaign, you will receive brickbats and abuse when it stutters and stammers to a halt and it becomes clear that you do not understand the complexities of the internet any more than you do day-to-day politics. Anyway, I have an instinctive suspicion and fear when politicians start consorting with censors, see: Leveson, passim.
Lear forebodings: Oh dear! Several weeks ago a good friend spotted a report in the papers that David Haig, a truly first rate actor, was attempting that Mount Everest of roles, King Lear. Instantly we booked! On Friday there was a gossip note in The Mail to the effect that the lady director concerned had decided to set the play in the contemporary East End of London in a gang warfare situation. Cue: heart sinking to boots, teeth grinding and a stream of obscene language of such richness that even old Will would have been proud. With the sort of fascinated horror with which we all slow down to get a good look as we pass the scene of a motorway crash I shall attend next Thursday's performance at the Theatre Royal Bath. You may expect a review on Friday - if I am well enough!
And, Dave, whilst we're on the subject of futile gestures: I notice, Dave, that you have added your government's support to the soppy, nonsensical motion in the Lords to 'pardon' the late Alan Turing. Before dealing with the particulars of this case, Dave, may I say that I am sick to the back teeth of our leaders grovelling and apologising to anyone and everyone, not for their manifold cock-ups, but for their predecessors' provided, of course, that they are all well back in history and thus virtually out of sight. Max Hastings had an excellent article in yesterday's Mail on the subject of the proposed 'pardon' to Turing which is well worth reading. However, this morning, thanks to a link provided by Ms. Anna Raccoon, you can read a very detailed legal analysis by Carl Gardner at his Head of Legal site of the ramifications of this nonsense process which indicates that it is mostly a complete waste of oxygen! (A late thought occurs; how long before some Prime Minister apologises to the Germans for Bomber Command?)
Further rumbling later . . .
