Update 46

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You may not be familiar with the name Alex Chalk KC, but he is our MP here in Cheltenham and last week he was appointed as the new Justice Secretary in replacement for Dominic Raab. I have had contact with Alex, I receive his monthly updates and have heard him speak many times. I believe he will be a better Justice Secretary than his predecessor if only because he presents as a more humane character than anything to which Raab might aspire. I did congratulate Alex on his elevation to the cabinet and received a gracious reply. I detect that unlike Raab, Alex does have a genuine respect for the law which puts him way ahead of many Conservatives including the late PM Boris Johnson.

Yesterday I had my second consultation with Dr Sam Guglani, a charming gentleman who asks great questions that really cause me to properly assess any changes in my condition. Equally he questions M to determine definitively how she is coping with the challenges my condition presents. There is no doubt I am less tolerant and considerate of others than I would like to be. I am becoming more insulated from those around me, perhaps driven to be more inward looking than is good for any of my friends or family.

I’ve been waking a bit earlier of late mainly because of an increased awareness of headaches. Dr G agreed I should increase my dose of overnight slow release Morphine from 5mg up to 10mg.

The government’s current raft of legislation will enable the wholesale elimination of the usual obligation to respect national and international laws. What is stunning is that hardly anyone seems to care. What we are witnessing is the kind of changes that have often preceded a move towards a dictatorship. The weakening of the judiciary, the suppression of protest and the demonisation of those who are in some way different and can be turned into a common enemy, eg: “immigrants”.

I am a huge fan of Twitter star Rosie Holt. She posts as if she’s a Tory MP defending whatever is the latest government gaffe. This week she’s been defending Dominic Raab with outrageous suggestions such as that we are “facing a despotism of sissy civil servants”. What is shocking is not her own script, but the huge number of other twitterers who are taken in by her performances; “How did this dimwit ever get to be an MP?” one tweets.

I hesitate to recommend wines since taste is so very personal, but, if you like a light red then Waitrose have a Régnié (Beaujolais) ‘Cuveé Tim’ which I just had to try. I’m now on my second case and it is still delicious. 100% Gamay grapes and Régnié is the most recent village to be allowed to identify its Beaujolais by the village name - there are still only ten villages with that privilege.

Next Tuesday evening will see 2,000 radio professionals gathered in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for the industry’s annual ‘Arias’, the Awards night. In recognition of my more than 50 years in radio, I have been invited to be the evening’s guest of honour. It means some flattering things are likely to be said and I will be moved to respond in gratitude for the recognition. It’s not something to be taken lightly and it will not be. Already, as a result of the press release I have received dozens of really warm messages, especially from former colleagues and even from folks with whom I’ve not worked but who are perhaps aware of some of the projects with which I’ve been involved.

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