SLAM!
And there goes the stable door: Luxembourg votes Yes to the European constitution.
The best bit of Wells
Cafe in Wells
Bekynton Brasserie, Wells – just by the Cathedral. Good sandwiches, not so sure about the hot food – spag bol looked microwaved. Try the fudge shop on the corner nearby.
A day in West Somerset
Spent today, very enjoyably, at the West Somerset Railway. An excellent preserved railway, but with Minehead, Dunster, Watchet and Washford at the top end, why in God’s name did they close the branch?
Fantastic deli/cafe in Watchet
Chives deli on Swain Street in Watchet – one of the best cream teas I’ve had in a long while, and opportunity to drool over cheeses, salamis and chocolates. Also, extremely reasonably priced. Almost worth moving to Watchet for.
Johann Hari on Richard Littlejohn
Ken Livingstone’s statement
The Mayor of London’s statement yesterday – very dignified and right.
And a good judge too
Apparently US Chief Justice William Rehnquist is a Gilbert and Sullivan fan. So much so, indeed, that five years ago he added five gold bars to his black robes, in imitation of the Lord High Chancellor’s costume in Iolanthe. (via New Republic)
Not just a PR war
I can’t agree with Will Davies’s take on the PR effort around today’s attacks. He’s right that the Government has become much more aware of the PR aspect of terrorism, and that there has been a lot of expectation management over the last few years.
However, he closes with:
Government is effectively reneging on its responsibility to keep us actually safe, and [has] retreated to a responsibility to respond efficiently when the enemy does strike?
which is surely wrong.
The Government has been playing a good PR game, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been working behind the scenes to prevent attacks. There has been some public action: the anti-terror laws and arrests around the country, for all they were controversial.
Anti-terror activities are never going to be telegraphed across the front of the papers. I don’t hold a particular brief for the Government, but its getting a clue on managing reactions doesn’t mean it’s losing its grip elsewhere.