Thursday, 31 December 2015
10 things almost as overrated and underwhelming as New Year's Eve
Staying in, maybe with a few friends, is what a lot of us would rather do, so why embrace something so utterly pointless and underwhelming as watching our clocks all night in an overpriced and overhyped environment with people too drunk to know what year it is anyway?
With 2016 about to begin, here’s ten other things that I think are almost as naff as New Year’s Eve…
1. Halloween. I’ve always felt it was a bit naff but it’s even worse than ever now. Most people’s outfits aren’t remotely ‘spooky’ and it’s largely just an excuse for adults with more money than sense to pretend they’re kids again.
2. Black Friday. How many people here celebrate Thanksgiving? No? In which case, why get caught up in the day after, which is traditionally where electrical retailers woo in not-at-work shoppers to spend on bargains.
3. The X Factor. Has anyone even heard the winner’s song? Time for a break Simon.
4. The Apprentice. Since Old Sugar isn’t even looking for an apprentice any more isn’t it about time this was brought to an end? People who show a flair for selling spuds in round one get to the final ahead of those who might actually have an entrepreneurial idea that is worth investing in. Pointless.
5. Formula One. Rich kids squabbling over which has the fastest car? Not for me.
6. Adele’s new song. Yep, there you go, I’ve said it. I like Adele, she’s a great character and I’m pleased with the success she’s had. But that song? Yawn. I wouldn’t fancy paying over the odds to see a concert full of that fare.
7. Sports Personality of the Year. I love the BBC – and we should all fight to keep it – but this is Auntie at her worst. A silly backslapping charade.
8. The Honours System. Another year, another round of uproar at ill-deserved gongs handed out to vaguely famous people for ‘doing their job’ or mates of whoever is in power. The worst thing is that this discredits the worthy efforts of the folk who get the ‘lesser’ awards for community work that really does deserve an honour.
9. Superhero films. Haven’t we reached fatigue with these superhero franchises? How many more Batman tales are there to tell? How about some new characters and storylines? Just a thought.
10. US TV dramas. Don’t get me wrong. There are some cracking shows from the US but too many people start with the assumption that because it’s from America and on Netflix it’s instantly better than a British programme. If Sherlock or Luther were American they’d probably be hyped beyond recognition, and spun out over a too-many-episode series to boot. The Americans are good at big budget, but we are good at tight, well-written drama too. It’s time for some love for our shows too.
Ok, that’s enough grumpiness for now. I’m sure that’s upset plenty of people! The point is that plenty of things are, when you strip away the hype, just a little bit naff aren’t they?
It’d be nice if we approached life by forming our own opinions, rather than liking things because we’re told to and they’re popular. I appreciate that other people do like the ten above but it’s fine not to go with the flow. It’d be boring if we all agreed and it is boring when people like things because it’s the done thing.
I know that some people think the things I like – football, cricket, politics, history – are naff but I’m fine with people not agreeing with me.
So, Happy New Year, and here’s the end of bandwagons. Cheers.
Monday, 30 November 2015
Mumford and Sons gig was a musical feast
Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected aren't they? That was certainly the case when I saw Mumford and Sons' tour-opening gig at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. It was thanks to a good friend and a stroke of luck that I went on Saturday night and fortunately those circumstances resulted in a cracking feast of music.
You can't help but admire anyone with a musical flair and there's no denying that Mumford and Sons have got that in spades. This was a two hour guitar, piano, banjo, horn, drum and double bass frenzy. Visually stunning and musically rich.
This was a band on the top of its game, three albums - and plenty of awards - in to their career, they were confident, consummate and looked to be having fun. We certainly were in the crowd even if the praise for Jamie Vardy nearly backfired in Nottingham.
I'm not sure how the band's change of style for the latest album has gone down among hardcore fans, with the synonymous banjo sidelined for the electric guitar. I reckon they've managed to stay clear of slipping into a generic sound and the new songs blended in seamlessly, adding variety to a gig that still delivered old favourites such as The Cave and Little Lion Man. The only slight disappointment was the lack of Winter Winds from Sigh No More but you cant have them all can you?
Singles Believe, Ditmas and The Wolf were gratefully lapped up while I'm a fan of Tompkins Square Park. Cold Arms, meanwhile, was part of an intimate one-microphone two-song set with Timshel that brought proceedings right in front of us.
A brief diversion into Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) was entertaining and made use of the talents of up-and-coming support star Jack Garratt.
This might not have been a planned date in the diary but it was certainly a memorable one. Here's to more pleasant surprises...
Friday, 16 October 2015
Starsailor's superb show delivered the goods
You'd have been forgiven for a pang of worry coming to Starsailor's greatest hits tour, could they still nail that back catalogue?
Yet, barely seconds in to the gig at The Waterfront in Norwich any fan worry clearly dissipated. James Walsh strode onto the stage and powered out Poor Misguided Fool, one of seven tracks from debut album Love Is Here to be performed in a true treat of a show.
Really loving our UK tour so far! pic.twitter.com/1wwn07zBit
— Starsailor Official (@Starsailorband) October 5, 2015
A good gig often encourages me to appreciate a good song even more - and that was certainly the case with the hideously underrated Way To Fall, tweaked a little here to add an effective bit of audience interaction. Lullaby, Fever, Alcoholic all formed part of a set that should remind casual fans just how good Love Is Here really was.
The band's other three albums also contributed to a generous set list - which also featured the new track Give Up The Ghost, a welcome new addition to the fold.
Walsh kept the banter to a minimum, with the odd bit of natural charm thrown in as he paused to take on water in the sweltering atmosphere of this intimate venue. For the most, though, he let his voice do the talking. None of the power of the record had waned and he left you hoping that the band has even more to offer.
There was certainly no better way to bring the curtain down that with Good Souls, the track that gave its name to this greatest hits tour.
Great memories, great tracks and a great performance - you couldn't ask for more.
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
From now on, it's all Jeremy Corbyn's fault
"Corbyn snubs Queen and Country" - Jeremy Corbyn dominating today's papers. http://t.co/3cF6YoKovI Pic @suttonnick pic.twitter.com/2ojDILYrqW
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 16, 2015
This is a man who failed to recognise that the Second World War was fought and won so that we now have the freedom to force people to sing songs that they don't agree with.
The new Labour leader shall, it seems, be forever pre-fixed by the term 'hard left' in the same way that 'so called' is added to Islamic State. We disagree with them both so much that we don't really think they deserve to have a name. As a result we act as though not talking about them properly might make them just go away so we don't have to deal with them.
This, let us not forget, is a man who fails to dress properly. By not doing his top button up he, clearly, might as well be wearing Bermuda shorts and walking around bare chested as public events. As one man rightly put it on the news - if he can't dress himself properly then why should we listen to him on the way the nation dresses? Indeed. And we haven't even touched on his taste in socks.
It'd be preposterous to have a politics where people didn't dress like the elite wouldn't it? If politicians don't all dress, talk and think the same then what excuse will we all have for not getting off our backsides to vote every five years?
Jeremy Corbyn has won the #LabourLeadership contest: http://t.co/SoyYobeOiL pic.twitter.com/Vhrs5TH1w9
— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) September 12, 2015
This is a man whose victory was clearly a sham because it was only based on winning a large majority of the party he's leading. It's not like the Prime Minister was elected leader of his party in a vote where the entire turnout was less than the amount Corbyn polled, having finishing second to David Davis in the first round. That definitely didn't happen.
He can't possibly be legitimate because he forced an attention-seeking weasel - who no-one has ever heard of - to resign during his acceptance speech. That too was followed by the resignation of several other people who just led their party to defeat. They must know better surely?
He even asked for questions from the public to put to the Prime Minister at PMQs, as if the people who vote really deserve to have their opinions and suggestions aired in the Commons. Crazy.
Most frightening of all is the fact that this man, who can't dress, sing or ask questions properly, is, at the same time - and in a position that is in no way contradicTory - ruddy bloody dangerous.
Don't believe me? The Prime Minister said so himself.
The Labour Party is now a threat to our national security, our economic security and your family's security.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 13, 2015
Yep, he's coming for your families folks. It's your duty to hate him and blame him for everything.
----------------
In all seriousness I don't yet know what I think of Jeremy Corbyn. Bizarrely, I actually believe in giving someone a fair hearing and have been left unsettled by the hysteria so far.
He might be old (another stick to beat him with) but he has fresh ideas and a fresh team, let's at least hear their policies and see what they try to do before shooting them down in flames.
He might turn out to be a disaster, as many predict, but if we never let someone who sounds or looks different have a chance then we're pretty sad and intolerant as a nation.
Monday, 10 August 2015
10 thoughts on the Labour leadership race
Why The Labour Leadership Race Is Now Wide Open http://t.co/vYXT50nkOA pic.twitter.com/jSzjee9fWr
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2015
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
First-timer's view of Lord's as Australia power to victory over England
It was a superb innings for Veuve Clicquot. The flashy French bubbly flowed much easier than England's runs and ensured the chaps in the row in front of me made hay in the summer London sunshine.
Mind you, the £70-a-bottle price tag probably stung their bank balances almost as sharply as the Australian quicks did England's batsmen. Led by a vicious and incisive Mitchell Johnson, the pace attack were the real stars of the show, shining on the hallowed turf of the Home of Cricket and backing up a dominant batting display to deliver a thumping series equaliser for the men in the Baggy Greens.
|
Our fantastic view from the Edrich Stand Upper |
Saturday at Lord's did feel pretty special. It was an honour to be at one of world's most famous venues to soak in one of the oldest and keenly contested rivalries in sport.
Like many cricket grounds, Lord's is a odd jigsaw puzzle of interlocking stands of various sizes and ages, with the pavilion and futuristic media centre at opposite ends physically and historically.
I was surprised at how friendly it actually felt. Lord's has a reputation for being a bit stuffy. The bacon and eggs ties, formality and tradition coming to mind. But, from the moment I stepped from St John's Wood Tube - which for such occasions becomes much busier than it sizes suggests it should be - there were people offering to help in a generally jovial-but-serious atmosphere leading to the famous ground itself.
Once inside I was struck by just how much was going on. The Nursery Ground, museum, outdoor drinking areas and restaurants dotted around the outside meant you barely needed set foot in the stands. Yes some bits do ooze tradition but there was a charm with it too. I guess if you hang around too long near the posher parts of the ground you'd feel out of place but it was fun to mingle with the people sporting the garish blazers for brief novelty value.
Yet, fun as the peripheral activities seemed the cricketing action was what we'd come for and England had a game to save. Resuming on 85-4 after the Australians had posted a mammoth 566-8 declared, it was an almighty ask.
Any Test Match seems to enjoy the same atmosphere before a ball is bowled - a low hum of chatter as spectators settle and ponder the play ahead followed by rapturous response to every ball for a few overs. Lord's was no different although obviously sans fancy dress and musical instruments, the sorts of things that look fun on the telly but that, in truth, you don't necessarily want to be sitting too near on the day.
All hopes seemed to rest on record run scorer and captain Alistair Cook, the man with the patience, resolve and technique to weather the Antipodean storm about to hit him. He was to be aided and abetted by one of the nation's bright new hopes in Ben Stokes - a man who announced himself onto the international scene with a century in Australia amid a dismal whitewash defeat for England.
Mitchell Johnson about to steam in to Ben Stokes |
It all went to plan at the start. Stokes showed himself to be far more than an aggressive slogger with some impressive 'proper cricket shots'. Any glimmers of trouble for the Durham man were simply shaken off with the confidence of a young star with the world at his feet. Cook meanwhile was watchful and careful - two qualities so rare these days that make innings such as these fascinating to watch. He edged along at one run per over he'd been at the middle, anchoring the innings in the 'lead by example' way in which he conducts his captaincy.
Sadly though, both batsmen perished before they reached the hundreds I felt they had deserved. First Stokes proved unable to last until lunch, dragging a skiddy Mitchell Marsh delivery onto his timbers. This sent a ripple of shock through the Lord's crowd who were just beginning to settle down to a long day at the crease for the home side.
If Stokes' dismissal was disappointing, Cook's was a hammer blow and one which provided the defining image of the whole match. Well set on 96 runs, the captain was braced for a 28th test match hundred, his first home Ashes ton, just before the arrival of tea. Most importantly of all, he was wel in ahead of the impending arrival of the second new ball. Yet Cook reached for a delivery outside off stump from Marsh - that man again - and followed Stokes' suit, crashing the ball into his leg stump off an inside edge. He instantly sunk to his knees in realisation. It may have been some time before the last rites, but this was effectively the moment England finally lost the match.
Alastair Cook sweats blood for England but misses out on ton | @selvecricket http://t.co/1TuYIoVsxa (Photo: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/odYPSCn6vW
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 18, 2015
Predictably, without Cook the innings faded and, equally predictably, Australia didn't enforce the follow on. Clarke instead chose to come out and grind England down, pile on the runs and let his bowlers recharge for another burst. Warner offered a chance to Lyth but from then on played a sensible and impressive innings with Rogers, the wise old head, the perfect foil. If Cook is England's study in test match poise and patience, Rogers is Australia's. The duo both ended the day unbeaten to put the cherry on the cake.That pair and Cook and Stokes aside this, though, was a day for the Australian quick bowlers to flex their muscles.
A happy block of Australians in standard-issue yellow caps |
Tuesday, 14 July 2015
Ten talking points as the Ashes heads to HQ
England win by 169 runs!!
Yes boys! Top performance
#Ashes pic.twitter.com/I6E0Xflx6L
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 11, 2015
Brad Haddin has withdrawn from second #Ashes Test for family reasons. Peter Nevill to debut: http://t.co/2L3kvg5z7t pic.twitter.com/rC4hV7inCX
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 14, 2015
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Stage set for Ashes thrills and spills
It's official now. The #Ashes is ON! #CmonAussie pic.twitter.com/dBLsCIGiJ2
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 7, 2015
The Ashes may have been played a little too often in recent years due to a schedule that is harder to decipher than the Duckworth Lewis method, but that hasn't dampened the spirits ahead of this clash. In fact, a combination of a big change in personnel for England and a stunning test and one-day series with Australia's Antipodean neighbours, means this series feels surprisingly fresh.
2 captains, 1 Investec #Ashes Trophy & 1 little urn... It all starts tomorrow!! pic.twitter.com/wVgI09hZKa
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 7, 2015
In many respects the tables have turned completely from 2013. Then England were the older and more settled side, buoyed by a series victory in Australia and a widely feared bowling lineup. Australia were regrouping under a new coach and were attempting to integrate newer players who had plied their trade in the more aggressive confines of the shorter form of the game.
Now, fast forward two years and England go into this series led by a new coach - an Aussie no less to add yet another subplot - and are trying to harness a new spirit from players with one-day experience. Australia's pace attack has established a fearful reputation and that, coupled with buckets of experience in the batting ranks, makes them clear favourites. It probably says a lot about the respective nations that Aussies have been queuing up to make bold predictions of a whitewash while Ian Bell, a veteran of six series, is happy to accept the role of underdog for the home team (which, it's worth noting, hasn't lost an Ashes in England since 2001).
Despite the fact that the Baggy Greens have the world's number one batsman in their ranks in Steve Smith, you do feel that the series rests on the way England's batsmen cope with the Australian attack.
The visitors arrive from Down Under with the most fearful pair of Mitchells since Grant and Phil from Eastenders in the shape of bowling duo Starc and Johnson. Johnson blew the batsmen away with sheer pace on his home soil in 2013/14 and will be hoping that his sheer reputation sends ripples of fear through the home dressing room. Even more worrying for England is the fact that Starc is possibly even better.
The aggression of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler could meet their fire with a counter-attacking fire, but England will need to accept that there will be failures in taking such an approach. All concerned must hold their nerve and back such players to come good. The players themselves need to find the right tone, remembering that they are in a test and not a T20.
Before these champing-at-the-bit youngsters arrive at the crease though it's up to Captain Cook to steer his side through the early exchanges. He has shown promising signs so far in 2015 of a return to form and it's hard to imagine an England win without a significant contribution from the nation's record test run scorer.
While Cook needs to draw on all of his powers of concentration to set the tone with the bat, his fellow record breaker Jimmy Anderson will need to shine with the ball. Much is made of the 'English conditions' being tough to cope with. Anderson - in tandem with Stuart Broad - is vital to making this home advantage pay.
In a way that's the key to success for England. The old timers - Cook, Bell, Anderson and Broad - must set a solid platform from which the younger players can shine. Cook needs to let that message filter into his captaincy too. He's often accused of being poor tactically but essentially he doesn't need a grand plan - he just need to be a calm head to get the best from Stokes, Wood, Buttler and Lyth.
In Joe Root England have a player with the class to aspire to Steve Smith's batting crown - and the potential to be star man. He will be targeted like never before and - thanks to David Warner - already has a bit of spice on his Ashes menu.
1/2 Disappointing to have my character questioned- those who know me realise how ridiculous Warner's excuse for hitting me sounds...
— Joe Root (@joeroot05) July 4, 2015
2/2 ...but that's his choice to try and justify his actions. I'm just extremely excited about next week and getting back out there.
— Joe Root (@joeroot05) July 4, 2015
In Gary Ballance and Moeen Ali, England do have two question marks. Both, however, have earned the chance to prove their critics wrong. Last summer's performances from this pair were superb, Ballance with a formidable batting average and Moeen taking wickets applenty against the supposed spin specialists of India.
It's certainly set for an intriguing contest. Confident, experienced and formidable favourites against a talented, developing side with home advantage. Australia probably should shade it but the signs are there that it could be a good contest.
It's also one of those all-too-rare occasions where test match cricket takes centre stage and a series is played out over five matches. Here's hoping for a cricketing feast that's even tastier than the Kiwi clashes that have whetted the appetite so nicely.
Monday, 6 July 2015
Beware a policy dressed up as 'common sense'
All that means a political budget to set out the political agenda for the coming five years - with moves to come good on manifesto promises and to start to admit to where the cuts will come.
Yet amid the pre-budget excitement (if you can call it that) and the Labour leadership excitement (no, probably not) I couldn't help by getting frustrated at the fact that so many so many complex issues are reduced to overly simplistic debates under the cloak of common sense.
Take some examples of issues under debate at the moment.
On last week's BBC Question Time, health secretary Jeremy Hunt appeared open to the prospect of charging patients who miss their appointments. Fair enough, you might think. After all, these missed appointments waste valuable time that could be given to other patients.
Yet, when you think about it, it's not so simple. Which is probably why Hunt had the rug pulled from under him by 'Government sources' in the days to follow.
The problem is that, in order to charge people who missed appointments, you'd need to set up a bureaucratic system to administer the fines. You'd have to handle appeals and chase payments. You'd also have to acknowledge that some people miss appointments for very good reasons - public transport/traffic issues or ill health, for example.
Plus, I dislike the idea of putting a financial transaction at the heart of the health service. The issue here is that when, for example, the hospital writes to you to inform you that it needs to move your appointment at short notice - by which time you've already arranged cover at work, say - how long before the patient seeks financial recourse for their own inconvenience?
Just as with student tuition fees - making the debate about price transforms the patient/doctor relationship into one that, like student/tutor, becomes rooted in money and what you should expect from that money. While no-one appears to be suggesting charging for appointments yet, the value for an appointment would be clear from the level of the fines set out.
So an unwieldy system of fines that would cost money to administer, would likely 'catch out' people with legitimate excuses and would put a financial relationship into the heart of something that shouldn't be about money. Not such common sense now.
Far harder, but also more palatable, is a longer-term drive to make missing appointments socially unacceptable. Still, you worry that long term and hard work aren't as attractive.
That hits at the main problem about framing policy as a 'common sense idea'. It's a ploy to make sure that the opposition can't oppose you despite the fact that, beyond the rhetoric, your idea might not be all it's cracked up to be.
Take another example. English votes for English laws (the horribly named EVEL) is another catchy soundbite that sounds like good common sense politics. Why should the Scots have a say on English laws?
Yet, here we go again. How does this work in practice? If a backbencher proposes spending big money on quickening the pace of the establishment of academy schools, for example, that might have a cost implication on the budget as a whole and, as a result on the resources for Scotland. So, where do we draw the line on what constitutes an English-only issue? Having spent so much time and energy keeping the Scots in the union, might we be in danger of showing them the exit again?
And why stop there? Should MPs for cities in the north west of England have a say in what happens to me in Lincolnshire? Does our MP have a right to have a say on HS2, which comes nowhere near me?
It all sounds like something that is a thinly veiled excuse for one side or the other to use to reform the voting system in the favour. Especially since history from the last 15 years shows that this 'problem' has affected...well pretty much nothing. Barely any votes on laws since 2001 would have changed if Scottish MPs were taken out of the equation. Albeit, granted, that has been with a slightly less feisty bunch of MPs from north of the border but it shows that Scottish representatives have not, up until now, skewed the course of events.
Far better to solve the issue of 'nodding dog' MPs who blindly follow the party line regardless of what their constituents think. But, as with GPs, this is probably harder to achieve.
On a similar note, you often hear people talk of the need to 'means test' benefits to pensioners, namely things such as the free television licence, winter fuel payments, bus pass etc. Why, the argument goes, does a millionaire pensioner need any of the above?
That again, sounds sensible. However, as with the GP example it requires red tape to administer and, importantly like 'EVEL' it creates a wider problem.
The whole system of taxation in this country works by everyone paying in, regardless of what they 'take out' in services used. Small symbolic gestures such as these show that everyone gets something out of their relationship with the state.
If we start to question someone's worthiness of getting 'something back' then we open up the question of whether that person feels the need to chip in in the first place. We also begin to question, as a society, our wider relationship with the state. Why must I, as a non-smoker, contribute to services that assist those wishing to quit smoking? Why do my taxes need to go to pay for infrastructure projects in parts of the country that I do not visit?
The principle that everyone pays in and everyone gets something back for their contribution should not be undermined so easily.
It is, of course, easy to be cynical about politics and politicians. But the point remains that saying something that sounds like 'common sense' is not the same as carrying out a well thought-out plan. Poor legislation can be enacted for the right reasons. But it pays to be wary of anyone who offers a simple, black and white answer to any issue - be it a Labour leadership contender, a Tory celebrating their first proper budget or one of those lesser-spotted Lib Dems.
Sunday, 28 June 2015
Lessons from cricket for English football after under-21s exit
Yet, actually, none of these international powerhouses even made it to the under-21 European football championships. It's a little unfair that England's young stars have been widely criticised for 'flopping' at a tournament that that trio weren't good enough to make.
Today Germany crashed out with a 5-0 defeat against a Portugal side that beat England 1-0. Presumably the same mob that came out with the tired old cliches about England's side will be hammering the heirs to the world champions' shirts now too?
The worst thing about the England national team is not the quality of the football, it's the ridiculousness of the reactions to it. Win a couple of games and we're tournament winners in waiting. Lose one and everyone should be sacked, the Premier League must be reformed and the players are roundly pilloried.
When it comes to the under-21s the reaction is even more tiresome. Yes, we need to get more of our young talent into Premier League starting XIs and yes we should pick our best available players in the age category.
But these tiresome circular debates do little good for the players who are actually there. Spending time moaning about the lack of Jack Wilshere or Ross Barkley will do little to instil confidence in their replacements.
Likewise there is little recognition that only 8 teams can make this tournament. Losing in the group stages of the under 21 Euros is hardly comparable to the adult sides. Our track record of reaching these events is excellent and no-one has an entitlement to win.
I also feel we've lost track of what the point of the under-21s is. Yes tournaments, results and competitions are important - but the ultimate goal is to groom the next generation. The only way to judge how much of a 'flop' or not Southgate's side is is to look back on this lineup and see how many make it as full internationals.
Southgate himself has gone from England senior manager in waiting to under fire, a trajectory that befell his predecessor. The side themselves are now being labelled 'mediocre' on the radio by the likes of Danny Mills and Joey Barton - rent-a-quote players who will know a thing or three about mediocrity.
In saying this I do think there is a need to address the 'stage fright' our youngsters encounter on such occasions (nothwithstanding selection and injuries). Yet the reaction to this tournament is part of the problem.
I can't help thinking that some lessons could be learned from England's one day cricket team. Battered and bruised from a pathetic World Cup showing (and you thought the u21s performance was bad) the team has turned its fortunes around by letting its young talent loose.
The biggest and most refreshing change in 50-over cricket for England has been to remove the fear of failure. Players are sent out to attack, express themselves and be aggressive.
It's tempting to say that this is how the footballing young guns should play. It's certainly too simplistic to say 'all out attack' is the way forward - but the aggression and freedom to express themselves is key.
Yet, when it comes to the cricketing revolution this summer, patience has also been key to the success. Fans and media have embraced the new regime and accepted that defeats and set backs are inevitable when a team sets out to play a riskier but more exciting way.
Are we ready to accept that our young up and coming footballers will make mistakes and lose games? Until we are the straightjacket will be on and the fear of failure will inhibit the way our young stars go about their business.
I can't help thinking that that mentality - over and above team selection, formations and managers etc, - is important to encourage and nurture our under-21s. If we're to do that - and match England's exciting cricketing turnaround on the cricket field - the long-term benefit for the senior level could be telling.
That means that, as the public, we too must play our part and stop simply trotting out criticism from the sidelines. This negativity is part of the problem.
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Exciting start for England's 'new era'
At a humbling World Cup the side continued to go through the motions while exciting attacking line ups fielded by rival side put them well and truly to shame. We were happy to 'get 250 on the board' while most teams wanted to have reached that total with 10 or more overs left. Our batting was timid and our all round game hampered by poor plans based on out-of-date statistics.
The talk after the tournament - where we've had a welcome switch to red ball cricket - was of the need for a 'new era'. Long-term followers will have listened that and thought 'we've heard that one before'. It's easy to talk of change - no-one in sport ever talks of carrying on losing - but it's harder to match those words with actions.
The signs were promising as soon as the squad was selected - and there was a real will to see the likes of Hales, Roy and Rashid let loose at last alongside a smattering of other fresh names. The expectation was that this bunch could give the beaten World Cup finallists of New Zealand a decent game - and learn from them in the process.
It wouldn't be England if everything went smoothly and the loss of Jason Roy from the first ball brought the optimists crashing down to earth straight away.
But not to worry. The excellent Joe Root - sure to be England's star performer in all formats for years to come - swiftly went about keeping the faith of the watching public. With sumptuous stroke play and powerful hitting he rebuilt the innings with the help of captain Eoin Morgan.
Root is so good that he often gets touted as a possible captain but I'm more than happy that he continues without that particular crown of thorns for the time being. Morgan's knock - and later captaincy in the field - proved his worth at the helm. You always felt the Irishman would've been happier with a freer, more instinctive game plan anyway and so it proved.
But then came the setbacks. Wickets fell and at 202-6 the timid old England of the World Cup would've folded. Not so today. The brilliant Buttler and fearless Rashid simply took up the charge and powered Morgan's men on and on. Buttler's brute force, timing and invention was breathtaking and Rashid's bucaneering knock shouldn't be understimated either, helping to drive his partner on.
The icing on the cake came in some style courtesy of Liam Plunkett, who came in and smashed his first two balls for six apiece and saw the innings over the 400 mark.
The records tumbled - but the symbolism was even more important. We can mix it with the big boys after all.
New Zealand approached their impossible chase with admirable bravery. McCullum briefly threatened to inflict pain on Steven Finn but, buoyed by the aggression of the batsmen, the tall fast bowler shrugged off a couple of hefty blows, held his nerve and sent the Kiwis' talisman packing to begin a haul of 4-35.
The highlight of the bowling innings, though, came from Adil Rashid. The Yorkshire leg spinner has been talked about for so long and justified the faith to at last give him a go. He went through his full repertoire of deliveries and helped to tame the middle order with a fantastic 4-55. There's a real joy in watching a leg spinner in full flow and it was a delight to see this lesser-spotted art performed in and England shirt to such effect.
And, with that, England polished off New Zealand for 198, winning by a massive 212 run margin. At the World Cup 212 alone looked a struggle.
The important thing is not to get carried away. There will be days when batsman fail - indeed Roy and Billings didn't shine this time - and others when Rashid receives some 'treatment'. The magnificent manner of the victory in this match and the goodwill it will rightly earn deserves to secure patience from selectors and supporters. We won't get 400 every time but we have shown that aggression and positivity can pay off. Trevor Bayliss can simply burn a few copies of this performance and reach for his pipe and slippers for now. More of the same please...
Friday, 5 June 2015
Richard III is Leicester's crowning glory
Before I'd even reached the city, the 'Richard III' effect was clear from the road signs - now updated to guide those on a royal pilgrimage.
And, as strong as the pull of a nostalgic trip to Firebug or other old drinking haunts was, it was an appointment withe the king that took me back to Leicester last Saturday.
The road signs aren't the end. Throughout the city proud flags and signs - and shops 'cashing in' of course - have popped up, embracing the 'car park king' as their own.
And why shouldn't they? As a history graduate I was shocked and fascinated in equal measure by the discovery of the remains of the last Plantagenet monarch. The journalist in me was equally enticed by the sheer absurdity of the fact he was buried under a council car park. It's a wonderful story and a visit to the city was long overdue.
The visitor centre is located opposite the Cathedral - home, after much debate, to Richard's remains - and sits on the site of the discovery itself.
The centre - an old school building partly on the site of the old Grey Friars Church - houses an exhibition on two floors. The ground floor tells the tale of Richard's life. The path Richard took from birth to throne to Bosworth battle field is complex and it would be easy to bamboozle a visitor with the twists and turns of this story. The centre skilfully avoids that - combining an OK introductory video replete with actors explaining the timeline with a walkthrough of his short reign as King of England.
The video does a fair job but the displays are much better. Short, snappy, text keeps this engaging - introducing the 'Princes in the Tower' debate alongside the lesser known aspects of Richard's reign. It's hard to consider just how great a reformer Richard may have been from such a short tenure - but the legislation introduced here shows that the period is worth closer scrutiny for someone, like me, for whom this is not their specialist period.
Princes, legislation and death in battle all makes for a pretty full menu downstairs. Some people may feel they'd have liked to see more meat on such fleshy topics but that's what the books in the shop are for. I think it was all handled pretty well considering this is not the sole focus of the centre.
That's apparent upstairs, where the story of the discovery of Richard's remains is told. Quite whether we need to see the exact hi-vis council vest, dig permit paperwork, boots and digger head used on the fateful day is a matter for debate but you can forgive a bit of over-excitement given the magnitude of the project and you certainly can't argue all bases aren't covered.
The story of the dig is illuminated nicely with video clips and cuttings - and is followed by handy interactive displays on the methods used to verify that the remains were, in fact, Richard's. Alongside this scientific and factual part of the display was a particularly enjoyable section on the depictions of Richard in fiction throughout history - and how some historians have challenged this over time.
Whether you're a fully paid up Ricardian or not, the passionate people behind the project to unearth the king have earned their right to open up the debate on this most fascinating figure from our history.
After the exhibition there's a chance to walk across a glass floor over the exact spot in which the now-famous find occurred. It shows how tantalisingly close to the surface he was lying all along.
It's well worth then making the short trip across the road to the Cathedral - where the king is finally buried in a more befitting manner.
At £7.95 some may argue the exhibition was a tad on the expensive side. It's cheaper than the visiting exhibitions that are held in the British Museum, for example, though and - while it probably takes less time to digest - was a very different type of attraction.
It's not so much about exhibits and artefacts and bringing history to life through objects. Instead it's about an encapsulating story and one that shows that the events of the past are never a closed book. 1485 may be a long time ago but here we are, in 2015, still debating the mystery of 'the Princes' and the merits of the last English king to die in battle.
The centre has certainly inspired me to want to read on. It's also encouraging to see Leicester embrace this history and celebrate the past with such enthusiasm. My home city of Nottingham could probably learn a thing or to about how a prosperous and vibrant present/future can be helped with a rich past.
I'll have to return to those pubs next time...
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Peter Kay's Car Share was a comedy gem
Sunday, 17 May 2015
A welcome return to Trent Bridge
It's perhaps easy to take the venue for granted but we shouldn't. This ever-evolving ground - with all singing and dancing scoreboard screens and new stands - is a world class setting and regularly ranked among the top of its kind by people within the game. It pays not to forget how lucky we are to have that in reach.
A county championship match offers the perfect chance to soak in the surrounds and enjoy a slice of sporting action in a relaxing atmosphere. The action unfolds intriguingly before you - but at the sort of pace that leaves room to dip in and out a little. In fact I often find it's a great chance to catch up with a friend for a chinwag and today was also a good chance for that - a perfect mix of social and sporting pleasures. Oh and £15 for seven and a half hours? Not bad at all.
So, what of the action? Well, the combination of the cloud cover and green-looking wicket meant Nottinghamshire captain Chris Read was happy to put the visitors from Somerset into bat. It seemed to be a smart move when, before I'd even taken my seat, Vernon Philander removed ex-England opener Marcus Trescothick.
The South African test star has struggled to settle since joining the county but really got his teeth into the action today, with tight probing bowling that maybe deserved even more success than was shown by his final figures of 4-56. Luke Wood ably assisted Philander but Jake Ball and Harry Gurney struggled to keep the pressure on the visitors and it looked like Somerset would head to lunch having seen off the worst of the early morning pressure.
Then up stepped Steven Mullaney. He relished the conditions and made a breakthrough by beating Johann Myburgh for length, just when a half century was in his grasp. His partner James Hildreth then fell to Philander - the third of seven batsmen clean bowled during the day - as the game turned. The icing on the cake for the home side was provided when Tom Cooper came and went - just like that! - for a five-ball one, another victim of Mullaney. 101-5 made it Notts' morning.
After a nice lunch time pint - the Belhaven Golden Bay in the Pavilion - I expected (and hoped) Chris Read's men might turn the screw and limit the visitors to at least below 250, but it wasn't to be.
Some excellent aggressive hitting from Peter Trego (41) and that perennial fly in the ointment James Allenby (64) wrestled control back for Somerset, their efforts taking them to 241-8 before James Overton strode to the crease and stole the show.
The tall number 10 powered his way to the sort of quick scoring innings that wouldn't have been amiss in a Twenty20, with 11 4s in an impressive 31-ball 55. It was only when Gurney finally bowled full and straight that his damaging knock came to an end after tea. Still, when Luke Wood smashed Tim Groenewald's stumps to finish the innings off, Somerset would surely have been delighted with their total of 312.
Notts then faced a tricky 24 overs before the end of the day. Steven Mullaney seemed to ride his luck a little and, just when he was starting to settle, fell to a slightly harsh looking lbw decision. Debutant Greg Smith then added just 8 before himself falling lbw to a decision that appeared more clear cut.
Then, with two Taylors at the crease, it was a case of toughing it out against some tight bowling from Trego (8-4-17-0) and Groenewald (9-4-16-1). While the early overs gave a few too many 'leave-able' balls to the batsmen, this pair had the bit between their teeth by the end - vociferously appealing a couple of close lbw shouts against Brendan Taylor. As the spectators shivered in increasingly cool conditions and the floodlights were called upon to lift the gloom, both Taylors just about clung on, Brendan ending on 11 off 73 balls.
And that was that. It's probably curious to fans of other sports to leave a day's action with nothing decided but seeing the ultimate result isn't necessary to enjoy the cricket. If the weather forecast is to be believed then it may be a struggle to get a result in this game in the next three days but that didn't matter today. Good cricket, good company and a great setting all made for an enjoyable day. More people ought to learn to love the appeal of this gem of the British summer.
Monday, 11 May 2015
Sir Harry shone in Spooks' big screen outing
Yet Spooks ended in 2011 so doesn't have a current 'following' and has always prided itself on being a show that bumps off its big name stars in a regular and ruthless fashion ever since 'that moment' with the chip fryer in series one.
In fact 'ruthless' is a pretty accurate picture of where we were at when the show ended - with the much loved stalwart Ruth Evershed meeting her demise to break the heart of Sir Harry Pearce.
So, having been taken off television and without a band of established characters to explore further, why make a film? Still, bizarre and illogical as the timing might have been, Spooks: The Greater Good worked.
Yes, this was just, in essence, an extended TV episode and, yes, it might've meant less if you hadn't got a deep affinity for Sir Harry's character, but this was a film that captured what was greart about the show at its height. Those strengths being good, pacy character-driven storytelling, regular deaths of big name stars to keep you on your toes and truck loads of tension.
If anything, the lack of too many established characters probably helped make this a film that could be enjoyed by someone with no knowledge of the TV programme. It also left open a berth for a main star which was ably filled by Kit Harington. The Game of Thrones actor brought a necessary wider appeal to the film and filled the posters in a way that Peter Firth might have struggled to do.
Harington and Firth hit it off pretty well as a duo too, both conveying characters with a rich, dark past that added to their mystique. Harington provided the action and Firth, playing a rogue, wrongly-accused Pearce, provided subterfuge and bastardry (with a splash of humanity) that makes his one of my all-time favourite TV characters. Firth's performance ensured the many layers he built up over years on TV were brought out before the cinema audience. He surely deserves another outing?
It all looked great on the screen with the odd explosion thrown in to keep the pace up but, as ever with Spooks, this was more about the substance than the style. It doesn't try to take on Bourne and Bond, but nor should it. There's more than one way to skin a spy story and this was no worse for not having more chase sequences or pyrotechnics.
Elyes Gabel played a believable and not-one-dimensional Adam Qasim, the dangerous on-the-run terrorist who escapes from the clutches of MI5 to set up the plot. Tim McInnerny's Oliver Mace perhaps strayed a little too into the stereotypical bracket, as did David Harewood's Warrender, while Jennifer Ehle had a guessable-but-still-enjoyable ending.
Still a few poorly fleshed out characters aside (more than made up for in my book by the return of Malcolm) this was a strong return for Spooks. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes next for Sir Harry and co. More along these lines would certainly be for the 'greater good'...
Sunday, 10 May 2015
Hamiltons watched on as Conservatives held off UKIP charge in target seat
Matt Warman delivers a victory speech at 6.30am |
It was a long old night at the Peter Paine Sports Centre in Boston; the eight-and-a-half-hour count took its toll on a bleary eyed Neil and Christine Hamilton, who were denied the chance to celebrate with their young protege - the 22-year-old Robin Hunter Clarke failing to capture the seat despite a 15.1 per cent swing to his party.
When the Hamiltons turned up at about 12.30am, the night was young and many predicted a tight race that could've seen politics' odd-couple celebrating. Christine was all smiles - ruffling the hair of a couple of policemen and mingling while Neil gave interviews to the press, who latched on the chance to fill the 'there's nothing happening' void with some material.
Neil Hamilton came to support his young protege...but would he have done better? |
It proved a long and fruitless night for the Hamiltons |
Warman, the now ex head of technology at the Daily Telegraph, proved a solid contender for the party after emerging from a fairly closely contested primary. He did enough to convince the party's traditional supporters - which are especially strong in number in the villages - to stick with the Tories after a somewhat fractious end to his predecessor's time as MP.
Mark Simmonds may have earned a 12,426 majority in 2010 but by last year relations had soured with local Tories, who felt he neglected his constituency duties after becoming a junior foreign office minister. Many felt his resignation - and comments about the pay and conditions of an MP - were framed in a way to 'get back' at his critics. Of course we may never know what Simmonds truly felt since he turned down several offers of an interview with the local press. He still lives in the area and I'm told he did vote for his replacement and offer him support.
Still, senior Conservatives in the town feel that if he had been on the ballot paper on Thursday UKIP would've won.
So, if the right name was on the ballot for the Tories, was it for UKIP? It was certainly a bold move to install a 22-year-old candidate to such a high profile target seat, especially given that it had, from the outside, appeared to have been Neil Hamilton's chosen location for a potential political comeback. Hamilton mysteriously pulled out of an in-house party hustings to pave the way for Robin so, I asked, did he think he'd have done better?
Hamilton said: "It's hard to say. I am a controversial figure on the one hand, but on the other hand I do have 50 years experience of fighting elections [he joined the Conservative party aged 15 in 1964] and I do have a war chest from supporters that could've helped my campaign. So, who knows?"He did go on to praise the young runner-up though, saying the party 'couldn't have had a better candidate' and that he hoped Robin would fight again in five years time.
Robin Hunter-Clarke remained upbeat in his post-defeat interviews |
He told me: "I am pleased with the result. We shaved thousands off their majority and saw the biggest swing to UKIP in the whole country - nobody can question my age or ability, I have proved myself.He was one of many people - Green candidate Victoria Percival included - to join the call for electoral reform, highlighting the fact that earning the third largest share of the national vote only earned UKIP one MP.
"I have grown massively in confidence and have enjoyed every single second."
He added: "Clearly the electoral system is broken and needs to be fixed but I'm afraid turkeys don't vote for Christmas and the Conservatives won't change the system that's led them to victory."
He backed UKIP to work with other minority parties - an unlikely alliance with the Greens it seems! - to press the need for change.
The victorious Warman, however, said the electorate had had the chance to change the system with the AV referendum of 2011 and felt 'first past the post' was still the best way to deliver stable Governments.
The new MP laughed off my cheeky question about any potential job in the new Cameron administration - instead saying he intends to use his influence to get key figures to come to the constituency and address its issues.
There is a strong sense in Boston that it is 'forgotten' and while Warman feels some of that is a perception - pointing to the cash for a new flood barrier as an example - he accepts that there's some truth in it, especially when it comes to the need for 'big ticket infrastructure'.
As part of his campaign he brought Jeremy Hunt and Chris Grayling to the constituency. While that aimed to show voters that a Tory MP could have the ear of big hitters in the Government, he hopes it will be a blueprint to prove to voters that the area's issues are being heard.
It's a stark contrast to the bizarre visit of Andrew Lansley, the then-health minister, to the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston in 2012. He came on the invitation of Mark Simmonds but everything possible was done to give the press the slip - including changing the plan to take Lansley out of the building around the back to avoid us. Excuses, bizarrely, included that it was the London mayoral election and a minister couldn't talk to us as a result. When we later happened upon Lansley walking through the town, he was only too happy to give us a quick chat. Simmonds, it turned out, was lobbying for cash to replace the maternity unit and probably could've done with the public support he could've got by involving the press and public but he just wasn't that sort of MP; only later turning to the paper when bureaucrats failed to cash in on the support Lansley had given for the project.
Warman will need to be more open with voters and involve them in the politics he carries out from here - big name visits are fine but the ridiculous subterfuge of the Lansley visit must be avoided.
The hospital too, with the threat to some of its services, is a huge issue for him to get his teeth into.
Still, getting back to the night, and why did Warman think his party could prove the pollsters wrong and gain a majority?
He said: "Evidently there's an element of 1992 about it. What we have seen is that, when it came to the crucial moment at the ballot box, people have realised that the economy was too precious to risk and people realised that David Cameron was a far better option than Ed Miliband, and they also didn't want the SNP to prop up a Labour Government."He wouldn't be drawn into comment on his defeated rivals, but felt his party offered more 'solutions' to the issues UKIP posed than any other, alongside a 'positive vision'.
So, how about leaving his job at the Telegraph? Many people, after all, would love to be at the front of the queue to test and talk about the latest technology as he has been.
He explained: "I came to the conclusion a few years ago that I wanted to be an actor and not a critic."But what about technology when it comes to voting? Perhaps inspired by the marathon count I asked if he thinks we'll soon be voting and counting in a very different way?
He said that issues such as Facebook privacy made him feel passionate but that: "If you really care about this stuff then the only way to make a difference is if you're not on the sidelines."
He said: "It's very hard to come up with a more secure system than what we have at the moment. It might be old fashioned but it works. I am not romantic about this stuff but it's working and you should be very careful about replacing it with something that's risky."So there we have it - we'll probably still be sitting there until 6.30am next time too but we shouldn't moan. For a journalist there's something enjoyable about count night. The atmosphere is like no other and it wouldn't quite be the same without the test of endurance that means you've still got to be able to ask key questions despite being half awake. Maybe Matt's right?
Full result:
Matt Warman (Conservative), 18,981, 43.8% (-5.7)
Robin Hunter-Clarke (UKIP), 14,645, 33.8% (+24.3)
Paul Kenny (Labour), 7,142, 16.5% (-4.2)
David Watts (Lib Dem), 1,015, 2.3% (-12.4)
Victoria Percival (Green), 800, 1.8%
Chris Pain (Independence From Europe), 324, 0.7%
Peter Johnson (Ind), 170, 0.4%
Lyn Luxton (Pilgrim Party), 143, 0.3%
Robert West (BNP), 119, 0.3% (-5)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course it wasn't all positive for the Tories on Thursday night/Friday morning. The more hardcore of us among the press carried on until 10.30am when the final Boston Borough Council result came in. Not Sky, they buggered off as soon as they'd done their post-victory interview with Matt Warman - although hats off to them for arranging to install their own internet connection to the venue for the night, that's the sort of planning and resources local media could only dream of!
The results here were more exciting and close than the General Election race that came before. UKIP - which had no seats going into the vote - and the Tories were neck and neck throughout and ended on 13 seats apiece on the 30-seat council. It meant the Conservatives have lost overall control of the council, although, in an immediate twist, look to have already picked up one councillor who has fallen out with UKIP before even taking his seat. At 14-12 with two independents and two Labour members they should just about be able to carry on in charge - but not without a fair few headaches along the way.
With more cuts to come to local Government this could be a really testing time for the council going forward. It proves, too, that the UKIP surge in Boston cannot be written off.
Monday, 4 May 2015
Voting does matter...even in safe seats
Take South Holland and the Deepings, for example. The seat is held by Conservative John Hayes who, in 2010, won a 21,880 majority with 59.1 per cent of the vote. The only questions to be decided on Thursday are whether his vote will be nearer 50 or 60 per cent this time and who will come second.
But, maybe it's time to look at the way we vote differently. In this election I think the share of the public vote will actually matter, even if it doesn't directly impact on the outcome of seats such as South Holland and the Deepings. There's two reasons for this:
*Firstly, it still appears as though no-one will win an outright majority. That means the potential for coalition negotiations or, possibly, a minority government. Whilst it's seats that matter I actually think that if this figure is incredibly close the share of the vote could be seen as a factor to help 'legitimise' a government. If there are two sides with roughly equal numbers of seats but one clearly attracted a greater number of people to place their 'X' then it could act as a tie breaker - a bit like goal difference in football. So, while whoever came second in South Holland might seem irrelevant, the votes given to the parties here could prove important.
*Vote share could also be important when looking to the future of British politics. One knock-on effect of the rise of UKIP has been to spread the calls for voting reform beyond the Lib Dems and Greens. Between the three of them they could attract 25-30 per cent of the vote but end up with fewer than five per cent of the seats. I can foresee a situation where that sort of calculation starts to tip the balance towards the need for reform. So, to return to dear old South Holland and the Deepings, a vote for an outsider party in that constituency may strengthen the case for reform and serve to highlight the declining relevance of 'first past the post'. Equally, if you don't feel that way, it's clear that a vote for the Tories or Labour can help bolster the status quo in such a scenario.
In some respects non-Tory voters have a free reign in South Holland and the Deepings just as non Labour voters would in Bootle or West Ham. They know who their MP will be come Friday morning so they don't need to think tactically, they should simply vote for who they like - let a site such as Votes for Policies help you choose if you're unsure - and know that there's no reason why that vote won't matter in either the short or long term.
I always think that not voting simply allows the political system to be dominated by those people who blindly support one party. That vocal, tribal, card-carrying, bandwagon-jumping minority of political nutters then gets its voice heard loudest. When the overall race is as close as this one we shouldn't leave it to them.
PS: I gave my verdict on how the five candidates for South Holland and the Deepings fared at a recent hustings event for the Spalding Voice. Read it here.
Thursday, 30 April 2015
Audience on song to grill election trio
Cameron kicked off Question Time with his half-hour. He frustrated the camera-man by instantly stepping off the large 'Q', and walked straight into a grilling about welfare and benefits. He was clearly prepped but still dodged the chance to offer more detail on the cuts to come. On the economy and NHS he drifted into 'pumped up Dave' territory but this was not the occasion for full-on sleeves-up arm-waving mode - not least because sweating under lights isn't pretty. This was like the second half of the now-distant Sky News debate and, just as in that slot, he enjoyed the format. That's not to say he was comfortable - the benefits non-answer was rumbled, the umpteenth brandish of 'the note' fell flat and the daft 'law to ban tax rises' was exposed - but he survived and will look back on a performance that at least ticked the 'Prime Ministerial' box at the same time as not forgetting which football team he apparently supports.
Ed stepped up second and found that the crowd was in no mood to forgive and forget the past. He floundered a little here, struggling to address this 'overspending blamed for recession' line. By now Ed and his party really ought to have forged a stronger retort to the narrative established by their opponents. Why doesn't he talk about how the money had to be spent to save banks and therefore people's mortgages and savings. He'll grab headlines over his promise to govern as a minority - even though he's already mentioned it - rather than go for an electoral deal and stuck strongly to his guns on the EU and immigration. Still, that pesky raised Q might still overshadow his half-hour, with his stumble off it as he left the stage at the end proving fodder for creators of Gifs, Vines and memes everywhere.
The audience was in no mood to let Clegg off the hook either - slapping him straight around the chops with 'that' tuition fees question. The Lib Dem leader's hours spent answering calls on LBC will have helped here as he was adept at addressing the interrogations from the clued-up crowd.He defended himself and was able to play his 'i'm different to them honest' card, sounding like he was answering the 'coalition question' more openly than the others even though he wasn't. As damage limitations go this was a decent effort.
The snap poll crowned the Prime Minister the winner. In the long term it'll be interesting to see if Ed Miliband's risky sounding 'i'll govern alone' line has any impact though.
It's a cliche to say that the audience was the winner but this was a crowd that asked tough, testing questions and didn't let any of the trio get away with their standard spin. All three were at it - using the questioner's name, the obligatory 'that's a great question' when they realise they've got no response and saying 'let me address that directly' before doing anything but - and the crowd was in no mood to let them off the hook. The BBC needs to bottle this audience and take it on tour to future Question Time episodes. Led by the excellent David Dimbleby they helped give us an entertaining and challenging 90 minutes that outstripped most of the regular series shows from recent weeks. There's life in the Beeb - and political debates yet it seems...