Re; poliitical appointees, and the discussion yesterday, you could still easily describe Birt as a political appointee. He was brought in during the Major period by MIchael Checkland, who was brought… (View Post)

Morning all. It's indeed true that Birt had experience of TV, like Greg Dyke. But the crtical fact is that he signed over , almost, the entire restructurng of the BBC to an outside body, in the … (View Post)

That is true. There is that explicit element of Tory support, and possible patronage , in his background, too, like sharp. Then there's also Robbie Gibb and others, et al. It's still amazin… (View Post)

The flame of Leon has been taken up ! (View Post)

Didn't a lot of the Normans / weren't they at least supposed to have had, one Viking parent, and one French parent ? This I understand has also been the case with Norman Cook, a.k.s Fatboy … (View Post)