Peter Van Eyck was born to play German generals. Ambiguous turn in this as Von Brock. Did he try and reinforce Major Kruger or just leave him hanging in the wind?
Died far too early.

Such a good performance by Robert Vaughn. Deserved more recognition.
Great slamming fist on map moment with Von Brock's "What a great plan to shorten the war! Do exactly what the enemy wants!"

35,000 pints of stolen Guinness, 950 wheels of pilfered cheese: can the UK’s cargo theft crisis be stopped? It costs the UK economy £700m a year, and criminal gangs are operating with near impunity. Every time a lorry gets robbed, raided or hijacked, it’s Mike Dawber who investigates

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Legacy.

www.ft.com/content/4f09...

Genuinely hard to overstate how much of a strategic defeat it would be for the United States if the war ends with effective Iranian control of the Strait.

Why is Caroline Bingley so unpleasant to Mary? #theotherbennettsister

TWO RONNIES FEEDLINE KLAXON

TWO RONNIES FEEDLINE KLAXON

Such a change to see him depicted as a fundamentally decent man as opposed to a figure of mock.

The Other Bennett Sister is an absolute delight.
I especially like Mr Collins depicted beyond the usual figure of mock and scorn.

A life of Napoleon's Bravest of the Brave. The barrel cooper's son who rose from private soldier to Marshal of France who ended his life as a condemned traitor in front of a firing squad.

Trump called for aid.
Japan has answered.

Hate the Stephen Rea character. The film doesn't address the morality of a policeman setting up his colleagues-men who worked with for years- to be shot in the back.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper: ‘Making decisions based on what the US do or say doesn’t feel like sensible foreign policy’ Firing Peter Mandelson, convening with Marco Rubio – then handling the fallout of conflict in the Middle East… it’s been a busy time for the secretary of state, and our writer has had a ringside seat

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Jane Lapotaire, actress who stunned the West End and Broadway as Edith Piaf ‘My French temperament comes out when I least expect it,’ she said. ‘I go around slamming doors and screaming and then I enjoy making up’

Jane Lapotaire, actress who stunned the West End and Broadway as Edith Piaf

www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/8835d65... She played a thinly disguised Helena Kennedy KC in the 1980s BBC drama about radical lawyers Blind Justice @davidallengreen.bsky.social

Dirty water, death and decline: the inside story of a privatisation scandal There is no end in sight to the pollution caused by a ‘broken’ system. Experts say it could even be getting worse

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

A thorough going bastard.

My piece on Marshal Ney for Aspects of History magazine.

Government’s response to Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban was ‘clumsy’, say MPs Select committee says ‘late’ decision to overturn exclusion of fans ‘did little more than inflame tensions’ The government’s response to West Midlands police’s ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was “clumsy”, “late” and “did little more than inflame tensions”, a group of MPs has found. A report by the home affairs select committee, published on Sunday, analysed the original decision to ban away fans from a Europa League fixture with Aston Villa in November, as well as the advice that led to it. Continue reading...

Government’s response to Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban was ‘clumsy’, say MPs

Ukraine is the biggest and most consequential of all the American betrayals | Simon Tisdall As the war enters its fifth year, it’s time for Europe to take the fight to Putin on its own terms and tell Trump to get lost, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A war foretold: how the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them Drawing on more than 100 interviews with senior intelligence officials and other insiders in multiple countries, this exclusive account details how the US and Britain uncovered Vladimir Putin’s plans ...

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Rather a daft piece. The answer is no, unless something emerges that we don’t yet know about. The piece tries to speculate about what that might be, but doesn’t get far. Much as I know this won’t please Bluesky, a disproportionately republican audience: I think it could well make him more popular.

Writing Fall From Glory was a very pleasurable experience.

Who is joining ICE? The breakneck operation to recruit US agents Trump’s immigration enforcers and border patrol are recruiting in conservative America with promises of $50,000 bonuses. I saw it in action at the bull ring

www.thetimes.com/article/3d01...

Aspects of History magazine are running a promotion for my book 'Marshal Ney: Fall From Glory'
It is also available on Amazon in kindle and in paperback.