Leather Armchairs is a book by Charles Graves, the poet Robert’s brother, published in 1963. It has a foreword by P G Wodehouse, which is a good start, and it describes sixty of the London Clubs then extant.
Two Nights in Kunduz
This is what I wrote in 2008 about two nights I spent in Kunduz, now perhaps captured by the Taliban. What I didn’t write then, was that on the first evening, walking through the streets, I felt for the only time on that trip to Afghanistan very much in danger and that, returning to our… Continue reading Two Nights in Kunduz
My Conference Speech
Buy The Bank
Gordon robbed us shareholders in Lloyds Bank when he persuaded Lloyds TSB (as it then was called) to buy HBOS in 2008. That led to some £20 billion of government (taxpayers) money being injected into the enlarged bank to keep it solvent. Now George is giving us a chance to get some of our… Continue reading Buy The Bank
Cheap Lane
Downhill
Downhill is a British film released last year, directed by James Rouse. It was his first movie (he usually directs film and TV advertisements) and describes four school friends walking the coast to coast path across England from St. Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay – 192 miles. It’s good but not… Continue reading Downhill
In Or Out?
“In or out, sir?” is what a barman says mixing a Pink Gin. It refers to the Angostura Bitters. But it already has a more important meaning in the UK as the promised In/Out referendum looms. What’s the best way for Conservative europhiles to scupper the Out campaign? You’re spot on; appoint an 83 year… Continue reading In Or Out?
66 Mark Lane
“Swing, swing together” – Slovenian Boating Song
A few days ago I mused on the shape of Europe I’d like to see in the years ahead; smaller government, more flexible institutions, accountable local government, and I pointed to Singapore as a conspicuous success. I didn’t need to look so far; Slovenia has achieved a lot for a similarly small country half the… Continue reading “Swing, swing together” – Slovenian Boating Song