What a Guy!

I saw him on the Andrew Marr political show yesterday and he can have my vote any day. Sadly he’s not a candidate – nor likely to be since he became an American citizen in 1993. I’ve known of him for years – a Lancashire lad – educated at Durham - editor of the Sunday Times and recognised as a crusading journalist. He was instrumental in nailing Kim Philby – the arch spy, he took on the drugs companies and enabled the thalidomide victims to get compensation after a decade of frustration and he was responsible for instigating check ups for cervical cancer.

I don’t know what he’s been up to in America beyond writing books and being married to Tina Brown but he’s like a breath of fresh air over here and I felt comforted when he spoke of ‘us ‘– meaning Brits. Diminutive in appearance he has a towering personality but his greatest asset for me is that he talks basic good sense and both Andrew Marr and Polly Toynbee listened with some respect.

I look forward to reading his latest book ‘My Paper Chase’ - his autobiography -especially his early life when we lived within twenty miles of each other. Incredibly – like Churchill - he failed his eleven plus. After listening and watching him on TV I told MTL and we decided he must be 70 but with what aplomb he wears his years. I couldn’t believe it when I discovered he was born in 1928 which makes him 82.

In case you haven’t guessed the object of my admiration is Sir Harold Evans