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Diary: The most transparent government ever, they said. Forget it! Diary: The most transparent government ever, they said. Forget it!
(3 months later)
• In the matter of intelligence, there is so much we do not know. So what are the known knowns? Well, we know, via the Edward Snowden revelations, that the British authorities and the Americans are jolly close in matters of national security. And, to this point, we have been able to know the extent of the transatlantic co-operation on edgy stuff such as nuclear weapons. When MPs inquired how many Americans have been to our Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire or how many of our chaps and chapesses have been to theirs, the Ministry of Defence would do the right thing and tell them. But that was then. Now, thanks to the austerity drive, the money's tight and lips are tighter. Paul Flynn, MP for Newport West, asked the question. "Defence has had to make significant spending cuts and has made resource reductions," explains minister Philip Dunne. Once, we could have kept a record of the comings and goings, but "no longer". Finding the detail would incur "disproportionate cost". The secret state just got a bit more secret.• In the matter of intelligence, there is so much we do not know. So what are the known knowns? Well, we know, via the Edward Snowden revelations, that the British authorities and the Americans are jolly close in matters of national security. And, to this point, we have been able to know the extent of the transatlantic co-operation on edgy stuff such as nuclear weapons. When MPs inquired how many Americans have been to our Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire or how many of our chaps and chapesses have been to theirs, the Ministry of Defence would do the right thing and tell them. But that was then. Now, thanks to the austerity drive, the money's tight and lips are tighter. Paul Flynn, MP for Newport West, asked the question. "Defence has had to make significant spending cuts and has made resource reductions," explains minister Philip Dunne. Once, we could have kept a record of the comings and goings, but "no longer". Finding the detail would incur "disproportionate cost". The secret state just got a bit more secret.
• More proof that some mistakes, once made, are hard to rectify. We recounted in January how Claire Khaw, the deliberately offensive activist cum "British nationalist philosopher", managed to achieve membership of the Tory party. This was despite her eye-popping views on the need to get tough on those with children with disabilities and advocacy of slavery for people found in Britain without the right immigration papers. Unsurprisingly, the Tories, realising the anomaly, withdrew her membership. But the former BNP agent won't be told, so here it is, Khaw v Central Office. She's gone off to the high court, seeking judicial review. May the least objectionable party win, we say.• More proof that some mistakes, once made, are hard to rectify. We recounted in January how Claire Khaw, the deliberately offensive activist cum "British nationalist philosopher", managed to achieve membership of the Tory party. This was despite her eye-popping views on the need to get tough on those with children with disabilities and advocacy of slavery for people found in Britain without the right immigration papers. Unsurprisingly, the Tories, realising the anomaly, withdrew her membership. But the former BNP agent won't be told, so here it is, Khaw v Central Office. She's gone off to the high court, seeking judicial review. May the least objectionable party win, we say.
• Such wits they have at the BBC. They've been in their new all-singing, all-dancing home in central London only a couple of months but already black humour is emerging! The new multimedia newsroom has small, white remote voice-over recording booths – according to management speak, they are "vox pods". But led by PM presenter, raconteur and all-round bad boy Eddie Mair, they have been re-labelled "orgasmatrons", reflecting an Orwellian view of the brave new world! No one mentioned that to the Queen when she opened the new Broadcasting House.• Such wits they have at the BBC. They've been in their new all-singing, all-dancing home in central London only a couple of months but already black humour is emerging! The new multimedia newsroom has small, white remote voice-over recording booths – according to management speak, they are "vox pods". But led by PM presenter, raconteur and all-round bad boy Eddie Mair, they have been re-labelled "orgasmatrons", reflecting an Orwellian view of the brave new world! No one mentioned that to the Queen when she opened the new Broadcasting House.
• Perhaps we were sniffy about the decision of Brent council to grant Nelson Mandela the freedom of the borough earlier this week. The great man and that area have history. Labour-controlled Willesden council, later reborn as part of Brent, was one of the first, if not the first, local authority in January 1960 to instruct officers that South African goods of any kind should no longer be purchased, says party stalwart David Winnick. Winnick, 80 this week and full of recollection, seconded the motion. The more rabid Tories were against it, as they opposed much of the anti-apartheid movement. Worth remembering in the coming days.• Perhaps we were sniffy about the decision of Brent council to grant Nelson Mandela the freedom of the borough earlier this week. The great man and that area have history. Labour-controlled Willesden council, later reborn as part of Brent, was one of the first, if not the first, local authority in January 1960 to instruct officers that South African goods of any kind should no longer be purchased, says party stalwart David Winnick. Winnick, 80 this week and full of recollection, seconded the motion. The more rabid Tories were against it, as they opposed much of the anti-apartheid movement. Worth remembering in the coming days.
• Finally, not me guv, says our anti-EU friend, professor Alan Sked. Contemporaries swear blind that he pitched up to an undergrad revue at the London School of Economics in a cherry-red cupid suit. He says not. "I have never ever owned or worn a velvet suit of any colour and probably couldn't fire an arrow." Inquiries continue. But he won't be forwarding the argument that such japery was beneath him. "While running a large student residential complex I helped organise student parties there, including vicar and tarts and perverts parties," he tells us. "One of the latter caused a minor sensation when the bouncer collapsed drunk, allowing other students to gatecrash. Some first years were not expecting either the costumes or indeed the almost complete lack of costume worn by those already present. Nor indeed the conga, when people in various attire – in some cases almost none – tickled the person in front (sex irrelevant) when the music stopped. One innocent first year jumped six feet in the air shouting 'My God! That's my tutor!' on seeing who had tickled him, before fleeing. He later apologised for his naivety." Cupid suit or not; you hang out with Alan Sked, you have a good time.• Finally, not me guv, says our anti-EU friend, professor Alan Sked. Contemporaries swear blind that he pitched up to an undergrad revue at the London School of Economics in a cherry-red cupid suit. He says not. "I have never ever owned or worn a velvet suit of any colour and probably couldn't fire an arrow." Inquiries continue. But he won't be forwarding the argument that such japery was beneath him. "While running a large student residential complex I helped organise student parties there, including vicar and tarts and perverts parties," he tells us. "One of the latter caused a minor sensation when the bouncer collapsed drunk, allowing other students to gatecrash. Some first years were not expecting either the costumes or indeed the almost complete lack of costume worn by those already present. Nor indeed the conga, when people in various attire – in some cases almost none – tickled the person in front (sex irrelevant) when the music stopped. One innocent first year jumped six feet in the air shouting 'My God! That's my tutor!' on seeing who had tickled him, before fleeing. He later apologised for his naivety." Cupid suit or not; you hang out with Alan Sked, you have a good time.
Twitter: @hugh_muir Twitter: @hugh_muir
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