Don’t write Beijing October 1979 out of history.Thank you Maryse, Jenny,Ray and Shrenik.
They marched under this banner - 'In Politics we want Democracy and in Art Freedom' 1989 ? NO
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02, 2025
22
01, 2025
How to stop the marginalisation of minority groups.
In todays i Yasmin Alibhai Brown writes about British Citizens of Pakistani ancestry and how they regard the grooming gangs. The conclusion was that most people of that background despise them and are distressed by the suffering of the exploited
18
01, 2025
Simon Schama and I
Simon Schama and I https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0026zyn/simon-schamas-story-of-us-series-1-2-whose-britain-is-it-anyway I may not have Simon Schama’s brains and erudition but, watching episode 2 of 'Whose Britain is it any way' made me realise that we share the same attitude to the evolution of this
18
01, 2025
The Water of Life: Bill Nighy, Victor Glynn and I
The Water of Life: Bill Nighy, Victor Glynn and I Do you find that life is like water –rivers flowing alongside crossing, meeting and blending? Thursday was like that for me. The film producer Victor Glynn suggested I be
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01, 2025
Stop the destruction of ancient woodland.
I am chairing this meeting where the people of Kennington and Radley can show how much they care about the wildflower rich woodland near where I live. Thank you Hamish Campbell for This video shows why the community is
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12, 2024
What have Michael Rosen, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Professor Irene Tracey, Korky Paul, Paterson Joseph and me in common?
I love the Today programme during the Christmas period, when it has guest editors. Their choice of in depth subject matter is inspirational. First off was author and screenwriter, Frank Cottrell Boyce, on a subject dear to my heart -
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12, 2024
Oxford Indie Book Fair on Dec 1, the biggest in the country and a challenge!
Andy Severn, James Harrison Ray Foulk and I had a dream of an event for book lovers which was free to enter, welcoming of everyone whatever their age or background. I tell the story of how it all
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11, 2024
The Reith Lectures : Current of Death -not imagined?
Is violence normal ? In her 2024 Reith Lectures, Dr Gwen Adshead, addresses four questions that she has most commonly faced in her work as a therapist with violent perpetrators in secure psychiatric units and prisons: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025cmg. It’s not surprising
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11, 2024
Sanity in a Mad World? Memories of Colin Dexter and PD James.
Today I weep for Ukraine and the environment. I really don’t understand my fellow human beings. What a terrible confession for an author! Many young black men voted for a racist. Many ‘Latinos’ voted for a man who builds a
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10, 2024
Only Connect !
Yesterday, in Ely Cathedral, I took this photograph. In the exquisite Lady Chapel, all the heads had been knocked off the sculptures in the niches. I visited the Fragrant Buddha Temple in the Summer Palace in Beijing with the