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16TH DECEMBER 2017 | ISSUE 1155 |EW £3.50 THE BEST OF THE BRITISHEEK AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA A threat to peace? Trump’s shock diplomacy Page6e 6

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What happened What the editorials said At last, the Brexit talks can move on to trade, said The On to “Phase II” Observer. Given how unlikely this prospect seemed at many EU leaders were expected to give the green points last week, it’s a cause for “tentative light this week for Brexit negotiations to optimism” – but not celebration. The PM is move on to trade and transition issues, “painfully slowly, increment by increment, following on from the last-minute deal edging towards something approaching struck by UK and EU negotiators on the reason”. If only the same were true of her divorce bill, citizens’ rights and the Irish Cabinet, which remains split on the final border. MPs on all sides praised Theresa shape of Brexit. “The hardest fights are still May for pulling the talks back from the to come,” agreed The Times. The Irish brink of collapse last Friday. Yet tensions border issue has been “skilfully fudged, but in the Government became apparent when certainly not resolved”. The basic problem Brexit Secretary David Davis suggested the – that Northern Ireland cannot both diverge deal was a mere “statement of intent” (he from EU rules and retain a frictionless later conceded it was binding). There were May and Juncker: “broad smiles” border with the Republic – remains. also disputes over the interpretation of a clause in the document that pledges “full alignment” between To get a good trade deal, May will need to show “far greater British and EU regulations if a hard border in Ireland cannot political dexterity” than she has over recent months, said The be avoided through other means (see page 15). Daily Telegraph. In her favour is the fact that the UK has never had a problem with the trade aspect of EU membership. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, said Britain’s Our issue was with the bloc’s “political aggrandisement” demand to break with the bloc’s single market and customs – a trend now gathering pace. Martin Schulz, leader of union left no other option than a deal modelled on the EU’s Germany’s Social Democratic Party, called last week for a 2016 goods-based accord with Canada. Davis said Britain “United States of Europe” by 2025, and France’s President was aiming at “Canada plus plus plus” – by which he meant Macron is also pressing for closer integration. “Since we could a similar deal with sectors added, notably financial services. never have agreed to that, it is better that we get out now.”

What happened What the editorials said The Jerusalem question Trump has committed an “act of diplomatic vandalism”, said the FT. Jerusalem’s status is uniquely sensitive because To the outrage of the Arab world and many it contains sites sacred to Jews, Christians and of his own allies, Donald Trump announced Muslims alike. Trump has needlessly chosen last week that the US would recognise to enrage Arab opinion by establishing the Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. To mark the first foreign embassy in the city: he has primed change, the president also said that the US “a≈ticking time bomb”. The delight of Israel’s embassy would be transferred from Tel Aviv right-wing leaders is premature, said Haaretz to Jerusalem. According to Trump, his move (Tel Aviv). “Violating the status quo” in represents a break with the “failed strategies Jerusalem will only inflame international of the past” and would advance the Middle hostility, just as happened with the expansion East peace process. Other world leaders of Jewish settlements on the West Bank. Israel’s were not persuaded: they accused him of isolation will now be worse than ever. endangering peace and breaching a long- standing agreement that Jerusalem’s status Trump is only enacting a decision that must be part of a comprehensive settlement. Congress has previously authorised, said A protest in Tehran The Wall Street Journal. In 1995, it voted The fiercest condemnation came from to≈recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, with Palestinian leaders. Hamas, the Islamist group that runs the proviso that the president was not bound to implement Gaza, called for a “day of rage” and the launch of a new the decision. Successive presidents ducked out of doing so, but intifada. When rockets were fired across the border, Israel Trump, who made relocating the embassy a clear campaign retaliated with air strikes on targets in Gaza, which, along pledge, has decided to go ahead. This may make Arab leaders with clashes with Israeli troops, killed four Palestinians. unhappy, but they can’t complain of “a radical departure”.

A primary school in A Thai roadside restaurant It wasn’t all bad Essex is bringing where diners sit on metal stools Scientists have, for the first elderly people suffering scattered around plastic tables time, suppressed the effects of from depression and has been awarded a Michelin the mutation that causes early dementia into the star. Raan Jay Fai in Bangkok Huntington’s disease, in what classroom to work with is named after its 72-year-old experts say could prove to be its younger pupils. owner, who is known for her the biggest breakthrough in Downshall, in Ilford, is noodle dishes and cooking neurodegenerative diseases in thought to be the first over hot charcoal – and for her decades. By injecting an school to host a day habit of wearing goggles to experimental drug into centre for older people, protect her eyes from spitting patients’ spinal fluid, the team who read books and oil. Her restaurant was one of at University College London sing songs to four- and 17 awarded stars in the new was able to lower levels of toxic five-year-olds. The elderly visitors come in three times a week, Michelin guide to Bangkok proteins in their brains, raising accompanied by their carers and support workers. “We had one and probably the least upscale hope that the progress of the lady who said she could not remember being so happy,” said – although with dishes costing devastating genetic illness Dr David Hinchcliffe, the psychiatrist behind the project. “She around £25, it is very expensive

can be slowed. wakes up in the morning and can’t wait to go to school.” by street food standards. © GRAEME ROBERTSON/GUARDIAN NEWS & MEDIA

COVER CARTOON: HOWARD MCWILLIAM THE WEEK 16 December 2017 …and how they were covered NEWS 7

What the commentators said What next? Theresa May “has delivered the goods”, said Dan Hodges in The Mail on Sunday. Her decision Cabinet members are due to hold out for concessions on citizens’ rights was rewarded: there is now a limit of eight years to hold their first formal on the supremacy of the European Court of Justice over our courts regarding the rights of EU discussion about the “end- nationals in the UK, instead of the indefinite jurisdiction previously mooted. Britain’s agreed state” of Britain’s relations divorce bill of £35bn-£39bn is also “well below the s60bn many had anticipated”. What’s with the EU on Tuesday, more, the prospect of a calamitous “cliff-edge Brexit is all but dead” now that we’ve agreed reports The Guardian. to default to regulatory alignment if talks falter. Brexit negotiators, The EU’s agreement to a two-year transition period after the UK formally leaves the EU in meanwhile, have until March 2019 is a major concession, said Gideon Rachman in the FT. “Without it, there was a October 2018 to strike a growing risk of a haemorrhaging of jobs as businesses took steps to protect themselves from the broad agreement on trade risk of a hard Brexit.” But the broad smile on the face of Jean-Claude Juncker, the European and transition. That will Commission president, during his conference with May told its own story. The reality is that allow time for the deal to be the UK conceded far more than the EU in this phase of talks. Indeed, given how “tantalisingly ratified before the end of the close” last week’s deal brings us to a soft Brexit, it’s a wonder that Tory Eurosceptics welcomed two-year Article 50 deadline it, said Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian. That they haven’t kicked up more of a fuss is down to in March 2019. However, May’s “deliberate obfuscation”, and their belief that the deal isn’t that meaningful. EU officials expect final settlement of the trade deal Brexiteers are saving their energies for a more important battle, said Andrew Rawnsley in The to take much longer. “Now, Observer – the Cabinet fight over the final shape of our future relationship with the EU. Despite you have got 15 pages [in the their different opinions, it should be possible for ministers to reach some compromise positions, agreement between the UK said William Hague in The Daily Telegraph. “Even ardent Brexiteers have to accept that much and EU],” said one. “That of our manufacturing industry will have little interest in having different product standards” took nine months. The from the EU. Equally, ministers on the other side “have to accept that it is positively desirable [EU-Canada free-trade deal] to decide on our agricultural subsidies and unthinkable to allow Britain’s massive financial is 1,598 pages. You can draw services industry to have its regulations set exclusively outside this country”. your own conclusions.”

What the commentators said What next? “Every time it seems Donald Trump cannot outdo himself, he does it again,” said Rashid US vice-president Mike Khalidi in The Guardian. By reversing a 70-year-old policy on Jerusalem, he has shown Pence is to reaffirm “disdain for the opinion of the whole Arab world”. His blundering comments last week suggest America’s commitment he sides wholeheartedly with Israel in its claims to exclusive ownership of the city. In effect, that to the peace process on legitimises the seizure of Arab East Jerusalem in 1967, and the subsequent mistreatment of the his tour of the Middle tens of thousands of Palestinians living there. By siding so clearly with Israel, he has certainly East later this month. Yet made it impossible for the US to play the role of honest broker in any future peace talks, said the Palestinian leader, Elie Podeh in The Jerusalem Post. And anger among ordinary Arabs will undermine his Mahmoud Abbas, has said attempts to cultivate closer ties with other Muslim nations, notably Saudi Arabia. Trump he will refuse to meet him insists his new policy “serves America’s best interests”. Yet one suspects he is only pandering in protest at the change of to his supporters among American Jews and Evangelical Christians. policy on Jerusalem. Turkey has threatened to break off At least his decision has refocused attention on Palestine, said Khalid al-Jaber and Giorgio diplomatic ties with Israel Cafiero on Al Jazeera. In recent years, the world’s focus on the Middle East has been diverted unless the decision is by the wars in Afghanistan, Libya and Iraq, the Arab Spring and the rise of Islamic State. reversed. Now the injustices endured by the Palestinians are “back at the forefront”. Ignore the humbug, said Bret Stephens in The New York Times. The Palestinians should concentrate on reforming Trump’s decision to their present “klepto-theocracy” rather than “fuelling a culture of perpetual grievance against relocate the embassy may Israel”. They could have had their own sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital if take a while to implement. they had only accepted the terms offered at Camp David in 2000. And why shouldn’t the US Finding a site in Jerusalem recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, when it so obviously is? The city is not only home to the and constructing a new parliament, but it’s also where Israeli leaders have entertained visiting US presidents. Trump’s building is expected to policy switch merely aligns “deed with reality”. take at least three years.

Editor-in-chief: Jeremy O’Grady Big. Big. Big. I hate to sound sizeist, but in politics – whether we’re Editor: Caroline Law Deputy editors: Harry Nicolle, Theo Tait THE WEEK talking of social inequality or Brexit – size matters. It always has. If Consultant editor: Jemima Lewis Assistant editor: Daniel Cohen City editor: Jane Lewis the archaeologists and anthropologists writing in Nature last month Contributing editors: Charity Crewe, Thomas Hodgkinson, Simon Wilson, Rob McLuhan, William Underhill, Digby are to be believed, it was the domestication of oxen and horses in the post-Neolithic age that first Warde-Aldam, Tom Yarwood Editorial staff: Anoushka Petit, Tigger Ridgwell, William Skidelsky, George Steer Picture gave rise to glaring inequalities of wealth. To exploit the potential of animals that big, you needed to editor: Xandie Nutting Art director: Nathalie Fowler Sub- seize control of a large tract of land and have the muscle to keep others off it. Farmers in Eurasia who editor: Laurie Tuffrey Production editor: Alanna O’Connell did so made huge productivity gains and became prehistory’s super-rich – the excluded, prehistory’s Founder and editorial director: Jolyon Connell Production Manager: Ebony Besagni Senior Production have-nots. In the more equal societies of post-Neolithic Mesoamerica none of this occurred, however, Executive: Maaya Mistry Newstrade Director: David Barker Direct Marketing Director: Abi Spooner Inserts: Joe Teal because there they had no animals bigger than turkeys and dogs. The unlovely corollary, which the Classified: Henry Haselock, Henry Pickford Account Directors: Scott Hayter, John Hipkiss, Victoria Ryan, Jocelyn Sital-Singh researchers are too coy to spell out, is that technological progress and equality don’t mix well. UK Ad Director: Caroline Fenner Executive Director – Head of Advertising: David Weeks And so to Brexit. It may well be, as Will Hutton argues (see p.17), that unless you submit to the Chief Executive, The Week: Kerin O’Connor rule of bigness and the dominion of the EU or some other mega-power, you’ll never be able to rein Group CFO/COO: Brett Reynolds Chief executive: James Tye in the tech giants. It may also be, as others argue, that the EU has far too much regulatory muscle for Dennis Publishing founder: Felix Dennis Britain to survive economically undamaged outside it. But the more remote the decision-makers, the

less we can hold them to account: the downside of bigness is the political damage done to our ideals THE WEEK Ltd, a subsidiary of Dennis Publishing Ltd, and traditions of representative government. One size does not fit all desirable outcomes. If you want 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP. Tel: 020-3890 3890. Editorial: The Week Ltd, 2nd Floor, 32 Queensway, London to have a big cake, don’t expect it to be eaten democratically or in equal slices. Jeremy O’Grady W2 3RX. Tel: 020-3890 3787. email: [email protected]

Subscriptions: 0330-333 9494; [email protected] The Week is licensed to The Week Limited by Dennis Publishing Limited. The Week is a registered trademark of Felix Dennis. 16 December 2017 THE WEEK 8 NEWS Politics

Controversy of the week NHS funding row The head of one of the NHS’s Williamson’s war biggest trusts has resigned, accusing ministers of under- “Have you ever set eyes on a British politician in such a tearing funding the service. Bob hurry as Gavin Williamson,” asked Matthew Norman in The Kerslake, an adviser to Independent. Until last month, he inhabited the “shadowy Jeremy Corbyn and former world of the chief whip”, where he cultivated an air of menace, head of the civil service, said keeping a tarantula in his office and joking that his disciplinary he had quit as chairman of style was more carrot than stick; “it is amazing what can be King’s College Hospital in achieved with a sharpened carrot”, he added. Yet since taking London because the Govern- ment was ignoring the over from Michael Fallon as Defence Secretary last month, he “enormous challenges” has hogged the headlines so determinedly that many think he facing the NHS. It later must be positioning himself to succeed Theresa May. He has emerged that Kerslake had picked a public fi ght with the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, over recently been warned to defence cuts, which reportedly led to a stand-up row between consider his position, after the two men in the Commons and a dressing down from the The Defence Secretary: “faux macho” the trust was forecast to have PM. And last week, in a disturbing “faux macho” outburst, he a £92m deficit – more than called for British citizens who had travelled to Syria to fi ght for Islamic State to be hunted down and twice the £38m planned for. killed. “Quite simply, my view is a dead terrorist can’t cause any harm to Britain,” he declared. This week, it was placed in special measures. However, other NHS managers backed “At last, we’ve got a Defence Secretary who speaks in plain English, not just for the Armed Forces, his claim that the NHS is but also for the British people,” said Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail. Naturally, the “hand- dangerously underfunded. wringing yuman rites brigade” is horrified. Max Hill, the QC reviewing our anti-terror laws, bleats that home-grown jihadists who “naively” joined Isis in Syria should be allowed to “reintegrate” into Grenfell hearing British society. Williamson has a far better policy: supporting the RAF and special forces who are A preliminary hearing of thought to be working their way through a “kill list” of jihadists, ensuring that they cannot “bring the inquiry into the Grenfell murder and mayhem back to the streets of Britain”. “Some of the outrage over Williamson’s remarks Tower fire took place in represents a misplaced squeamishness,” said Shashank Joshi in The Guardian. If you fi ght for Isis, London this week. On the you lose the protections of domestic law. It is perfectly legal to hunt and kill violent jihadists in Syria, first day, the inquiry was told that the police were still where there is no way to arrest or extradite them, whatever passport they hold – as long as they are a year away from not injured or captured. On the other hand, Williamson’s words will not encourage our allies on the interviewing suspects. ground to treat captured British Isis members humanely. “The Defence Secretary surely did not intend Before that process can that the Kurds should execute detainees, but he might think carefully about the signal he sent.” begin, the Met must carry out a full forensic assessment The fate of British jihadists still in Syria is somewhat beside the point, said The Spectator. An and reconstruction of the fire, estimated 400 such people have now returned to the UK; fi ghting for Isis is a criminal offence – yet a process that will not be only 14 of them are known to have been jailed. This puts an intolerable strain on MI5, which, as we completed before next know to our cost, simply doesn’t have the resources to monitor the 3,000 or so potential terrorists in autumn. However, officers are considering charges this country. In some cases, reintegration may be possible. Yet “committed jihadists tend to relocate including misconduct in rather than retire”. As Isis is driven out of its remaining strongholds, this problem will only get public office, manslaughter bigger. Prosecuting the returnees “would help the intelligence agencies thwart the next attack”. and corporate manslaughter.

Good week for: Spirit of the age Coventry, which was named the UK’s city of culture for 2021, Poll watch Rather than risk becoming following on from Derry and Hull. Coventry is the birthplace of 42% of voters now back the one of the growing number Philip Larkin, and also of The Specials, the British 2 Tone band Tories, putting them ahead of parents whose children whose 1981 hit Ghost Town was inspired by the city. (by one point) of Labour for are still in nappies when Giant steps, after Donald Trump formally announced that he is the first time in a YouGov they start school, a woman sending Americans back to the Moon for the first time since 1972 poll since the election. 37% in Surrey is offering to pay a – and that the mission will be a stepping stone to a Mars landing. of voters think Theresa May “professional toilet trainer” would make a better PM £50 an hour to potty train Dan Middleton, a 26-year-old former Tesco worker from than Jeremy Corbyn; 28% her three-year-old. In her ad, Wellingborough, who was named as the highest paid star on opted for Corbyn over May. the woman explained that YouTube. Millions of people (mostly under-tens) watch him play Asked who they’d most trust she and her partner hadn’t Minecraft and other games, making him £12.3m last year. to negotiate Brexit, 32% said trained their daughter May and 16% Corbyn. themselves because they YouGov/The Times “don’t have the time”. Bad week for: Home bakers, who were advised not to lick the mixing bowl, in 59% of voters think the Scotland’s tourism board case they contract E. coli from raw flour. Last year, an outbreak Government has spent is jumping on the hygge of E. coli that affected 63 people in the US was eventually traced too much time focusing bandwagon by promoting back to a flour mill in Missouri. on Brexit, at the expense a Caledonian rival to the Quiet carriages, which are causing so many rows between of domestic issues. Just Scandinavian lifestyle trend. passengers that they could be scrapped. South Western Railway, 14% disagree. VisitScotland has declared BMG/The Independent 2018 the year of còsagach, which is considering the issue, said the problem is that people a Gaelic word that means disagree about what level of noise is acceptable in a quiet carriage. 72% of 16- to 24-year-olds “snug” (as well as “full of Some passengers seem to think they should have a library-like think the term “snowflake” holes”). It says the country’s silence and object even to commuters tapping on their keyboards. is applied unfairly. 74% many cosy pubs and The Savoy, which received the unwelcome news that it is located believe it could have a “tranquil seascapes” make in the nation’s worst pollution hotspot. The hotel lies on the negative effect on young it “a perfect place for your Strand, in London, a road so congested that it regularly records people’s mental health. well-being”. Aviva/The Daily Telegraph nitrogen oxide levels seven times higher than the legal limit.

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 Europe at a glance NEWS 9

Paris Berlin Berlin Rightward shift: “United States of Europe” call: Martin LinkedIn spy claim: German intelligence The Republicans, Schulz, the Social Democrat leader with services have accused China of creating France’s centre- whom Angela Merkel hopes to negotiate fake profiles on LinkedIn and other right opposition, a new “grand coalition”, has called for the networking sites in order to recruit have elected as creation of a “United States of Europe” by high-level informants in Germany. their new leader a 2025. “I want there to be a constitutional This week, the Bundesamt für combative hard- treaty to create a federal Europe,” he said Verfassungsschutz (BfV) produced several right nationalist. in a speech in Berlin last week. The treaty profiles purporting to belong to Chinese Laurent Wauquiez would be drafted with input from citizens academics and consultants working at (pictured), who across the EU, he added. The draft would reputable-sounding institutions. The BfV bills himself as the then be “presented to the member states, says that Chinese spies used these profiles champion of rural and those who are against it will simply to contact about 10,000 German nationals, and small-town France, campaigned on the leave the EU”. Schulz, the former including politicians, government officials far-right National Front issues of “values European Parliament president, has made and senior military personnel. They’d and civilisation”, immigration and the closer European integration a condition of start by trying to exchange views and perceived threat from Islam. The party’s his party entering a new grand coalition information, and if that succeeded, previous leader, François Fillon, had (“GroKo” in German political parlance”) they’d offer invitations to conferences performed disastrously as the Republicans’ with Merkel’s CDU, but his “radical” and seminars. Beijing has dismissed the candidate in this year’s presidential vision has been dismissed by senior allegations as “complete hearsay”. election: having become embroiled in fi gures in the CDU as unworkable and a fi nancial scandal, he was beaten to a divisive. The parties may instead end place in the second-round run-off by the up in a “KoKo” – a much looser National Front’s Marine Le Pen. “cooperation coalition”.

Lleida, Spain Artefacts seized: There were protests outside a museum in the Catalan town of Lleida this week, when members of the national Civil Guard entered the building to seize a number of artefacts claimed by neighbouring Aragon. The religious artefacts were sold by a convent in Aragon in the 1980s. Later, the government of Aragon said the deal had been illegal and demanded the artefacts’ return, and in 2015, a court in Aragon ruled in its favour. The Catalans’ appeal has not yet been heard, but when direct rule was imposed from Spain in October, officials in Aragon seized the opportunity to ask the ministry of culture in Madrid to intervene in the dispute. The minister duly signed a judicial order giving the Catalans until 10 December to return the items, and when they did not, the police were sent into retrieve them – a move Catalan separatists denounced as political and unhelpful.

Vatican City Kiev Athens Lead us not into translation: Pope Francis Saakashvili arrested at third attempt: Tricky guest: has pointed out that the English Mikheil Saakashvili, the exiled former President translation of the Lord’s Prayer is president of Georgia who is now a key Erdogan misleading, because the line “lead us not opposition fi gure in Ukraine, was fi nally made the fi rst into temptation” implies that God leads arrested in Kiev late last Friday, after visit to Greece us into temptation, when that is “Satan’s a dramatic week in which a previous by a Turkish job”. In an interview, Francis suggested attempt to detain him was thwarted by his leader for that other churches might follow the supporters. Since mid-October, Saakashvili 65 years last example of French Catholics who, after has led protests against his former friend, week. Yet rather than attempting to mend years of debate, recently tweaked their President Petro Poroshenko, whom he diplomatic fences, he instead made a series translation of the petition, so that it now accuses of stalling reforms and anti- of provocative statements. To the visible reads: “Do not let us fall into temptation.” corruption efforts. Prosecutors, however, astonishment of his hosts, who had laid Endorsing the modification, he explained: claim to have evidence that Saakashvili’s on a red-carpet welcome, Erdogan “Do not let me fall into temptation protests were funded by a Ukrainian (pictured, with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras) because it is I who fall, it is not God who businessman with ties to Russia. chastised Greece for failing to look after throws me into temptation... A father does Saakashvili denies this, pointing to his long Ottoman sites; condemned its treatment not do that, a father helps you to get up record of opposition to President Putin. of Turkish-speaking minorities; and said immediately.” His predecessor, Benedict “The image of me in handcuffs [last week] that the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne – the XVI, had also pondered the difficulty of was the biggest hit on Russian TV in cornerstone of peace between the nations translating the petition from the Greek of years,” he noted. On Monday, a judge – should be “modernised”, a notion the New Testament (which was itself rejected a prosecutor’s request to put immediately slapped down by the Greek probably translated from Aramaic). Saakashvili under house arrest. President, Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Catch up with daily news at www.theweek.co.uk 16 December 2017 THE WEEK 10 NEWS The world at a glance

Washington DC New York Sexual misconduct: Three of the Bus station bombing: A would-be suicide bomber struck in many women who have accused Manhattan during the morning rush hour on Monday – but failed Donald Trump of sexual assault to kill or injure anyone other than himself. The attack took place and other forms of sexual at about 7.20am in a pedestrian walkway between the Port misconduct have launched a Authority Bus Terminal and Times Square subway station. The campaign to have their Port Authority is the busiest bus station in the world, serving 65 allegations investigated by million passengers a year. As commuters fl ed, smoke fi lled the Congress. More than a dozen corridors and parts of the bus station. However, the makeshift women have accused Trump of device had failed to detonate fully and the attacker was the only sexual assault, and many others person seriously injured. Officials said he appeared to be a “lone have accused him of sexually inappropriate behaviour. Rachel wolf” inspired by – rather than directed by – Islamic State. He Crooks, Jessica Leeds and Samantha Holvey said they hoped was identified as Akayed Ullah, 27, an immigrant from that their allegations – denied by Trump – would be treated more Bangladesh. Reportedly, he told police the attack was in seriously in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the retaliation for US air strikes on Syria. subsequent #MeToo movement (see page 24). Other prominent figures accused of sexual misconduct also made headlines. Senator Al Franken resigned his seat over groping allegations. And Dustin Hoffman, already accused of propositioning a writer in 1991 and having harassed an intern on the film set of Death of a Salesman in 1985, was also accused of repeatedly molesting a co-star in a Broadway revival of the play the year before. Kathryn Rossetter said that the actor groped her almost every night and liked to grab her breast when they were photographed together at parties (pictured).

Ventura, California Catastrophic wildfires: Around 200,000 people in California have been forced to fl ee their homes over the past week to escape six separate wildfires that have destroyed more than 1,000 buildings across the state. The worst fi re, which has devastated parts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties (about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles), is the fi fth-biggest single fi re in modern Californian history. By early this week, it had scorched 230,500 acres, destroyed 800 buildings and was threatening Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito and other towns. About 5,800 fi refighters were tackling it. State governor Jerry Brown said that drought and climate change meant California faced a “new reality” of lives and property being continually threatened by fi re.

Birmingham, Alabama Firebrand judge defeated: The controversial right-wing former judge, Roy Moore, was sensationally defeated in Alabama this week, giving the state a Democrat senator for the fi rst time in 25 years. Doug Jones’s victory – which looked unthinkable a year ago – reduces the Republicans’ Senate majority to 51-49 and deals a major blow to Donald Trump. The president had continued to support Moore (pictured) even after several women accused him of assaulting or harassing them, some when they were teenagers, and≈other senior Republicans distanced themselves from him. Jones took 49.9% of the overall vote and 95% of the black vote.

Caracas Maduro seeks to ban opposition parties: Venezuela’s President Buenos Aires Nicolás Maduro has declared that the country’s main opposition Kirchner charged with treason: parties will be barred from taking part in next year’s presidential A federal judge in Argentina has election. He said only parties that took part in mayoral elections indicted the former president, last weekend would be eligible. Three of the four main opposition Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, on charges of treason, and sought parties had refused to run mayoral candidates, because they didn’t her arrest over allegations that she covered up possible Iranian want to legitimise what they said were rigged elections run by a involvement in the 1994 terrorist bombing of a Jewish community “dictator”. Maduro’s ruling United Socialist Party won 300 of centre in Buenos Aires, in which 85 people were killed. The the 335 mayoral contests, on a claimed turnout of 47%. The charges stem from an inquiry initially carried out by Alberto president said that a ban on opposition parties running Nisman, who was found dead in 2015 shortly after accusing candidates in the presidential elections had been mandated by Kirchner of a cover-up. An initial investigation found he had the National Constituent Assembly, the body regarded by the killed himself, but a new police probe suggests that he was international community as a sham parliament established to murdered. As Kirchner is now a senator, the Senate would have

entrench his power. to vote to lift her immunity before she can be put on trial. © COURTESY OF KATHRYN ROSSETTER

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 The world at a glance NEWS 11

Baghdad Tehran Riyadh Victory over Isis: The Iraqi prime minister Iran visit: Boris Cinema ban lifted: Saudi Arabia is to allow declared victory over Islamic State on Johnson visited cinemas to open for the fi rst time in 35 Saturday, after a three-year battle against Tehran this week, years, in the latest effort by the 32-year-old the militants, who at one time controlled where he seemed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to a third of the country. At a conference in to make tentative modernise the kingdom. The decision (like Baghdad, Haider al-Abadi said the army progress in the other recent social reforms, such as the had driven Isis from the last areas under case of the jailed imminent removal of the ban on women its control and “secured the entire length British-Iranian, driving) is being interpreted as primarily of the Iraq-Syria border”. Abadi came Nazanin Zaghari- economic – part of a strategy to boost to office in 2014, by which time Isis had Ratcliffe (pictured growth and diversify the Saudi economy occupied several of the country’s largest right). The charity away from oil. Introduced in the early cities, including Mosul, which was worker, jailed in 1980s, in the wake of the Iranian recaptured this July. Separately, on a March 2016 on trumped-up charges of Revolution and an Islamist uprising in surprise visit to an air base in Syria, plotting to overthrow the government, had Mecca, the cinema ban had started to Russia’s President Putin said that Isis been due to appear in court on new charges look increasingly outdated, given the had suffered “complete defeat” in eastern last Sunday; that her trial was postponed proliferation of satellite TV channels that Syria, and then ordered “a significant part” following the Foreign Secretary’s visit was show Western fi lms. The fi rst fi lms are of Russia’s military contingent to start seen as positive. Johnson met President expected to be shown in cinemas in March withdrawing. Analysts warn, however, Rouhani and urged Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s – once they have been approved by that Isis fi ghters could still operate in cells release “on humanitarian grounds”. government censors. or resurge if pressure is not maintained.

Tokyo Buying missiles: Japan has announced plans to acquire missiles that are capable of striking North Korea. The weapons will be deployed on Japan’s fl eet of fi ghter jets and have a range of up to 1,000km. Currently, Japan’s longest-range missiles can reach only 300km. The move is controversial because, under Japan’s post-WWII constitution, the country’s armed forces are limited to defence. Some argue the new weapons breach that accord, and are likely to alarm China.

Pretoria Tripoli President loses his Gaddafi redux?: protector: South The son of Africa’s chief Muammar prosecutor has been Gaddafi, the ordered to vacate his former Libyan job, significantly increasing the dictator, is likelihood of President Zuma facing trial reportedly Canberra on corruption and fraud charges. The seeking a return Same-sex marriage legalised: Australia’s Pretoria High Court found that the to politics. Saif parliament has voted overwhelmingly to president should not have been allowed, al-Islam Gaddafi make same-sex marriage legal, with only in 2015, to give the job to Shaun (pictured) was four votes against. The legislation passed Abrahams – known as “Shaun the Sheep” captured by a militia in 2011, following three weeks after voters backed gay for his readiness to fall in line – as he was the uprising that saw his father killed, marriage by 62% to 38% in a non-binding “clearly conflicted” by the allegations but was freed in June. He now claims referendum. In the past 13 years, there against him. Abrahams has been criticised to be leading a military campaign against have been 22 unsuccessful attempts to for allegedly being reluctant to prosecute terrorist groups near Tripoli, with the change the law. In the public gallery, Zuma and his cronies. The president’s goal of reaching the capital. Analysts say spectators burst into song in celebration. ruling ANC party is due to vote for a the political chaos in Libya could make Australia becomes the 26th country to new leader this weekend, but the winner Gaddafi a credible candidate in elections introduce same-sex marriages, and the is unlikely to become head of state until planned for 2018, despite his indictment second (after Ireland in 2015) to do so national elections in 2019. for war crimes. after a public vote.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 12 NEWS People

Day-Lewis’s devilish detail the responsibility of a creative Daniel Day-Lewis has always life, which is both a curse and thrown himself into his roles a blessing. You can never with extraordinary intensity, separate them until the day you says Lynn Hirschberg in W die. It’s the thing that feeds you magazine. For My Left Foot, and eats away at you; gives you he spent months with cerebral life and is killing you at the palsy patients, learning how to same time.” use his foot like a hand. For Gangs of New York he learnt Tomatoes, not tweets to throw knives with pinpoint Unlike so many modern accuracy. And for his latest role celebrities, Graham Norton has – playing a fashion designer in no desire to become a social the Paul Thomas Anderson justice warrior. “I don’t do fi lm Phantom Thread – he the Gary Lineker thing, sharing really went to town. The my opinions on Twitter. And 60-year-old British actor learnt maybe that makes me a how to sew, created a couture spineless d***,” he told Eva dress for his wife (“Rebecca Wiseman in The Observer. has worn the dress,” he says “As the world hurtles towards proudly. “It’s very pretty”) the alt-right, yes, I worry about and meticulously curated his that. But, who’d listen to me? character’s style, from his Would retweeting Guardian purple socks (ordered from an articles really help? What I ecclesiastical shop in Rome) to see when I do that... is a real his pens, shoes and even his wheelbarrow of s*** being dogs. “I wanted lurchers. I pushed on top of me. And it gave so much thought to every turns out I care about that single detail. I was probably more than I do about ending The “bad boy of ballet” is trying to be good, says Celia Walden in infuriating.” Such deep fascism. Yeah, I’ve weighed The Daily Telegraph. Sergei Polunin, 28, caused a sensation in 2012 immersion takes its toll: Day- it up. I’m good, thanks.” The when he walked out of the Royal Ballet, two years after becoming Lewis has often been struck by chat show host is the BBC’s its youngest-ever principal. The tattooed Ukrainian already had a depression after emerging from best-paid entertainment star reputation as a rebel. But the truth is, he was miserable. He took a shoot. But this time, the (with a salary of £2.5m). But drugs (not for fun, but because “I was trying to fi nd answers”) feeling wouldn’t lift. Day-Lewis if Brexit and Trump put paid and “scarified” his fl esh as a form of self-harm. “I’d been carving couldn’t bring himself to watch to civilisation, he will simply shapes into myself with razor blades ever since I was a kid,” he the fi lm (he says he never will), “go back to Ireland and grow says. “When I was 14, I’d draw scorpions on myself, and as I got and this summer he announced some tomato plants on the older I realised that it released endorphins in the same way that his permanent retirement from windowsill. I’ve achieved more having tattoos did.” He learnt how to create dramatic scars, such acting. He can’t say why, than I ever thought I would. as the “tiger scratches” on his chest. “Acid is the easiest way to do exactly. “I haven’t fi gured it After I became a stand-up, able it,” he says blithely. “Skin is amazing stuff – it’s very hard to scar it out,” he said. “But it’s to pay my rent, that was all my – so you cut fi rst and then put acid in the wound.” As a former boy settled on me, and it’s just dreams met. Everything else is prodigy, carrying the weight of his entire family’s hopes, Polunin there.” There are, he adds just icing on what turned out cut himself in order to feel like more than just “a tool”. “I needed mysteriously, “spells in these to be a very small cake. So why to remind myself that I was alive and here, me: that I exist.” He fi lms that you can’t account hang around? Why take part in shakes his head. “I was in a very low place.” Now, though, he for. A kind of malady. And it’s this struggle, why not just wave has given up drink and drugs and started his own dance company, not that I felt there was a curse my white fl ag and go back to Project Polunin. “I feel so totally, totally... awake,” he smiles. attached to this fi lm, other than Ireland and watch the tide?” “It’s like being a child again.”

Castaway of the week Viewpoint: Farewell This week’s edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs featured May’s resilience actor, producer and director Kelsey Grammer Keith Chegwin, “History will not remember Theresa TV presenter, died 1 Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) by Bart Howard, performed May as one of Britain’s greatest prime 11 December, aged 60. by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie and his orchestra ministers. Nor as one of its luckiest. But 2 All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan, performed by The Jimi Max Clifford, publicist Hendrix Experience posterity might, just, afford her a place convicted of sexual in the pantheon of our most resilient 3 Symphony No. 7, second movement by Ludwig van Beethoven, abuse, died 10 performed by Eugen Jochum and the Royal Concertgebouw leaders. Whatever you think of it, the December, aged 74. Orchestra of Amsterdam Brexit deal set out in Brussels last week Shashi Kapoor, 4 The Letter by Wayne Carson, performed by Joe Cocker is testament to May’s extraordinary Bollywood star, died 5 Wichita Lineman by Jimmy Webb, performed by Glen Campbell toughness, her willingness to endure 4 December, aged 79. public abuse, collegiate acrimony and 6* Mated by Utopia, performed by Todd Rundgren Michael I of Romania, private despair, yet not give up. Her 7 Shooting Star by Paul Rodgers, performed by Bad Company WWII head of state who predecessor may have run away from 8 Gimme Back My Bullets by Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van was later exiled, died Zant, performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd the scale of the Brexit challenge he 5 December, aged 96. gave Britain, but May has stayed at Manjit Wolstenholme, her post. Her willingness to endure pain the fi rst ethnic minority and ability to survive apparently mortal woman to chair a FTSE Book: A Passage to India by E.M. Forster wounds – including self-inflicted ones 100 company, died – are the foundations of this deal.” 23 November, aged 53. Luxury: magnifying glass * Choice if allowed only one record

James Kirkup in The Daily Telegraph © DAVID LACHAPELLE/DOGWOOF

THE WEEK 16 December 2017

Briefing NEWS 15 Trouble at the Irish border Northern Ireland’s border with the Republic has proved one of the thorniest issues in EU negotiations. How did it get to be so?

How was the border created? to Dublin for export. A third of all After the First World War, while most Northern Ireland’s milk goes south; of Ireland violently rejected continued 40% of chicken produced in the union with Britain, Protestant- Lough Foyle Republic is processed in the North; dominated Ulster violently rejected 40% of the lambs reared in the North Londonderry Antrim union with Catholic Ireland. London’s Donegal Derry are sent south to be slaughtered. messy solution was to create two self- According to the EU, 142 areas of governing territories within the UK: one Belfast cooperation are imperilled by Brexit. made up of six of Ulster’s nine counties, Tyrone which had a clear Unionist majority; Pettigo Why is Brexit such a problem? another of the remaining 26 counties. In Down Because it gives rise to demands that 1922, after the War of Independence, Fermanagh Armagh look impossible to reconcile. To the south became the Irish Free State, Monaghan Warrenpoint preserve the gains of the past 20 years, while the parliament of newly created Carlingford Ireland – backed by Brussels – insists Lough Northern Ireland chose to remain in the Leitrim Cavan there should be no hard border. And UK. As a result, the border runs 310 Louth Britain agrees. However, the EU also miles, from Lough Foyle in the north to insists that the only way to dispense Carlingford Lough on the east coast, with the need for customs checks is for following the county borders laid down in the 17th century; these both territories to observe its single market rules – on food, followed lines marking clan loyalties, turf-cutting rights and the animal welfare, product safety and so on. Yet in January, Theresa like. It was never intended as a major international frontier, yet it May had declared that the UK was leaving the EU’s single market has outlasted the Iron Curtain. and its customs union for the express purpose of being able to set its own regulations and to negotiate its own foreign trade deals. What kind of border is it? Nor can Northern Ireland alone stay inside the EU: its largest Wiggly, porous and very difficult to police. Longer than the island party, the Democratic Unionists, on whom May depends for her of Ireland itself, it divides roads, lakes, farms, communities – the Commons majority, won’t allow anything that “separates village of Pettigo straddles County Donegal in the Republic and Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland – and, in some cases, even UK”. It looks like an impasse. houses. Today, it is criss-crossed by more than 200 roads. Thanks to the Common Travel Area, established in 1923, a passport has So how has the irreconcilable been resolved? never been required to cross from Ireland into the UK (except It hasn’t. Last week’s deal states that these issues will be agreed on during WWII). However, in the same year, customs controls were later, in trade negotiations. But, crucially, it adds: “In the absence introduced. As a result, smuggling, in both directions – depending of agreed solutions, the United Kingdom will maintain full on the era and the commodity – was rife for decades (see box). alignment with those rules of the internal market and the customs union” that support the all-Ireland economy and the Good Friday What happened during the Troubles? Agreement. (Northern Ireland’s “unfettered access” to the UK From the 1950s onwards, the IRA launched attacks on British market is also guaranteed.) It is, however, not quite clear what forces from across the border. When the Troubles began in “full alignment” means. Brexiteers such as David Davis say the earnest in the 1960s, the border became a front line in the conflict promise is not “legally enforceable” (the standard term for full – both a target itself and because the security forces tried to stop compliance with single-market regulations, as in Norway, is paramilitaries crossing it. All but 20 crossings were blocked: roads “regulatory convergence”): they hope Britain will be allowed to were “cratered” or “spiked” by the British Army; checkpoints and set its own rules, as long as they reach similar outcomes. Ireland watchtowers sprang up. People crossing the border were held in insists, though, that the deal is binding, and that alignment and long queues and questioned by the security forces. Only Belfast and convergence are the same. And the EU has long made it clear that Londonderry were more violent. In it will not allow the UK direct access 1979, 18 British soldiers were killed “Slab” and the smugglers to its market on the Brexiteers’ terms. near the border town of Warrenpoint. When Ireland was partitioned, people in the Many communities along the border borderlands who’d always done their shopping or sold So what’s the likely outcome? were scarred by sectarian murders. their livestock in the nearest town found that they had We don’t know. But at the very least to pay duties at the customs posts. The Irish Free State Britain has made a clear political Why did the hard border vanish? in its early years imposed import duties on butter, tea, undertaking to abide by EU rules if The arrival of the EU single market in bacon and other goods, while during WWII, many no alternative can be agreed. And the 1993 put an end to customs controls. travelled south to buy butter and sugar that had been EU is very unlikely to give way; it And the Good Friday Agreement, rationed in the UK. A culture of smuggling grew up – didn’t cede ground to Canada or the everything from families hiding butter in prams to which formally ended the Troubles in gangs crossing the hills with illicit goods. Livestock, US on this issue. Besides, Northern 1998, committed Ireland and the UK which usually fetched higher prices in the North, was Ireland is already – despite the DUP’s to the avoidance of a hard border and often smuggled too. As late as 1977, an estimated rhetoric – separated in many respects to numerous cross-border initiatives 5,000 pigs a week crossed the border illegally. from the UK. It has its own laws and in areas such as trade, fi sheries, health During the Troubles, Thomas “Slab” Murphy, the banknotes; its people can take up Irish and tourism. Today, the border is alleged IRA chief of staff, is said by police to have run a citizenship; many of its markets are almost invisible. About 35,000 people vast smuggling empire, defrauding tax authorities on more integrated with Ireland’s than commute across it every day. Patients both sides by moving oil, cigarettes, grain and pigs with Britain’s. The DUP is even from Donegal go to hospital in Derry; through his farm on the border, deep in County pushing to bring its corporate tax rate children in the North are treated by Armagh’s “bandit country”. And owing to differences down from the UK’s 19% to Ireland’s specialists in the Republic. Ireland is in VAT and excise duties, a lot of smuggling continues 12.5%. Although we can’t be certain, today. Most fireworks are banned in the Republic, in many respects a single market: unless they are used in a display by a professional last week’s deal probably means that Guinness, brewed in Dublin, is sent operator, making them a popular contraband item. not only a soft Irish border, but also north to be canned before returning a soft Brexit are much more likely.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK

Best articles: Britain NEWS 17

One of the aggravations of modern life, says Janice Turner, is the way we’re always being asked to review things online. You need IT MUST BE TRUE… Trust experts, only take delivery of a parcel to get a text asking you to rate your I read it in the tabloids “service experience”. So it was a delight to read last week how a not online young journalist, Oobah Butler, had exposed the “chicanery of A company in Japan is planning to discourage its online reviewing”. He fi rst claimed he’d set up an “appointment- reviewers employees from working late only” restaurant – actually his London garden shed – aided by by flying a drone through the photos of its mood-inspired “food” (shaving foam and bleach Janice Turner office. The device will blare tablets), and posted breathless reviews of it on TripAdvisor. Eager out the tune of Auld Lang The Times customers clamoured to book a table, but he ignored their calls, Syne, which is often played in and in no time the website had classed The Shed as London’s top the country’s shops at closing restaurant... even though it didn’t exist. Butler’s prank, and his time. Experts described the admission that he used to earn a living writing fake reviews for idea as a “silly” way to tackle TripAdvisor, is a timely reminder not to put your faith in the the problem of overwork. “wisdom of crowds” – too many of us have learnt to game the The makers of children’s system. No, place your trust in experts and friends: they’re “our TV show Peppa Pig have only protection against fake reviews in an ocean of fake news”. been accused of encouraging the inappropriate use of Has there been a surge in hate crime since the Brexit referendum? primary care services. In an Reports in the media certainly give that impression, says David article in the BMJ, Sheffield- Beware claims Goodhart, and one measure seemingly confirms it: between 2012- based GP Catherine Bell 13 and 2016-17, the number of hate crimes reported to the police of a hate crime points out that Peppa’s in England and Wales jumped by 90%, to about 80,000 cases a doctor, Dr Brown Bear, year. Yet other measures tell a different story. Court convictions “surge” is far too attentive – raising for hate crimes were actually lower last year than in 2010. The unrealistic expectations in Crime Survey for England & Wales, which asks people whether David Goodhart parents about what they can they’ve been victims of hate crime, suggests such incidents are in expect from their GPs. Not The Sunday Times steady decline. Why the conflicting evidence? One reason is that it only does he make “clinically has become so much easier to report hate crimes: officials actively inappropriate” urgent house encourage it; no evidence is needed; incidents can be registered visits for minor ailments, he anonymously; and the victim or witness to a crime only has to perceive it as being motivated by racial or other prejudice for it to be classed as such. It’s good that we’re more mindful of crimes against minorities, but tenuous claims of a hate crime “surge” only serve to exacerbate the fears and divisions we seek to dispel.

Did you know that Britain’s huge shopping malls – Brent Cross (London), the Bullring (Birmingham), Trafford Park (Manchester), The ugly truth Bicester Village (Oxfordshire) – are all about to be owned by the same company? That’s how it is with modern capitalism, says about modern Will Hutton. Things keep getting bigger. As the new online giants – Uber, Facebook, Amazon et al – grow more monopolistic, capitalism the old companies that sell stuff rather than data have to merge to survive. For users, big is beautiful: the bigger the search engine Will Hutton or network, the more useful it is. Yet from the societal perspective, offers medicine for simple it gets ugly: the giants gain ever more market power, take an ever The Observer ailments that would clear larger share of GDP in profits, and cut back on wages and job up by themselves. Dr Bell security. Given that the tech giants aren’t confined to national suspects that Peppa Pig is borders, governments of medium-sized nations are powerless adding to the pressure on to challenge them on anything from taxes to data protection. If GP services, but concedes you don’t join one of the three big economic blocs – the EU, the that “further study is needed US or China – you’re easy prey. That’s why the Brexiteers are so to confirm this”. deluded: in this “dog-eat-dog” world, EU membership is our best defence against monopolistic corporate power. Firefighters spent an hour working to free a YouTube It’s amazing what politicians get up to when they think nobody prankster who had is looking, says Andreas Whittam Smith. Take Lord Bassam, cemented his head inside a The peers Labour’s soon-to-be former chief whip in the House of Lords, microwave. The 22-year-old who has just agreed to repay £41,000 in expenses. The peer put his head in the machine taking us claimed a remarkable £260,000 over seven years to cover the and encouraged his friends cost of his accommodation in London, despite the fact that during to pour seven bags of for a ride that time, he commuted daily to his home in Brighton – a trip for Polyfilla into it. But when the Polyfilla set, they couldn’t get Andreas Whittam Smith which he claimed an additional £41,000 in travel expenses. He the oven off again: had he now concedes that waiving the travel claims “would perhaps have not had a breathing tube, he The Independent been a more appropriate response”, but what about the quarter of would have suffocated. “All a million pounds he claimed for his non-existent London accom- of the group involved were modation costs? And Lord Bassam is far from the only parliamen- very apologetic,” said Shaun tarian to have taken taxpayers for a ride. A recent study identified Dakin of the West Midlands 16 “silent” peers who had collectively claimed about £400,000 in Fire Service. “But this was expenses and daily allowances, over a year in which they made no clearly a call-out which might contribution whatsoever to debate. People will justify the most have prevented us helping someone in genuine, extraordinary things to themselves when they believe that accidental need.” “everybody is doing it”. There’s a term for it: “institutional rot”.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 18 NEWS Best of the American columnists

Liberals are getting excited, says Peter Beinart. With fresh revelations emerging of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, many believe “impeachment may be around the Let’s face it – corner”. Alas, these people are mistaken. The odds of the president being impeached are, if anything, falling – “because impeachment is less a legal process than a political one”. It would require not only Trump won’t a vote in the House of Representatives (passed by a simple majority), but also approval by the Senate (by a two-thirds vote). So it couldn’t pass without significant Republican support. And it’s hard to be impeached see Republicans lending that support today, because recent months have shown that “GOP voters Peter Beinart will stick with Trump despite his lunacy, and punish those Republican politicians who do not”. Since Trump was elected, his approval rating among Republicans has never fallen below 78%. By contrast, RealClearPolitics.com GOP politicians who have criticised him, such as senators Jeff Flake and Bob Corker, have seen their support collapse. You can get big things through Congress with the support of only one party, but impeachment isn’t one of them – it requires bipartisanship. “In this ultra-partisan age, that means removing a president is virtually impossible, even when he’s Donald Trump.”

California is suffering some of the worst wildfires in its history, says Annika Neklason – and to make Wanted: more matters worse, it’s running out of prisoners to tackle them. Inmates have been fi ghting the state’s wildfires prisoners to since the 1940s, when California fi rst called up convicts to replace men assisting the war effort. Today, put out fires more than 3,700 inmates volunteer as fi refighters, Annika Neklason making up more than a third of the state’s wildfire- fi ghting personnel. Based in special fi re camps, they The Atlantic often act as the fi rst line of defence against blazes, cutting fi rebreaks to stop advancing fl ames. In return, they’re paid a dollar an hour and earn credit towards early parole. So far this year, two have died in the line Saving California an estimated $100m a year of duty. Their labour saves California an estimated $100m a year. Yet pressure from the courts to reduce prison overcrowding is forcing California to release many low-risk inmates, drying up the pool of eligible fi refighter recruits (serious offenders can’t volunteer). With wildfires expected to increase in the years ahead as a result of climate change, California may fi nally have to end its reliance on prisoners to protect the state from natural disaster.

The soaring value of bitcoins is great news for speculators who have invested in the “tech-hipster cryptocurrency”, says Emily Atkin, but not, perhaps, for the planet. Bitcoins exist only in digital We are all form. To create one, computers must access the bitcoin network and solve a complicated maths problem, a process known as “mining”. As more of the fi nite number of bitcoins are mined, the paying for the maths problems get harder – requiring ever more processing power and ever more electricity. Ordinary personal computers were once powerful enough to mine bitcoins, but it now requires bitcoin boom specialist hardware. “Just one transaction can use as much energy as an entire household does in a week.” Bitcoin analyst Alex de Vries reports that the mining and trading of this currency is now Emily Atkin responsible for an estimated annual energy consumption of about 32 terawatt hours – a fi gure on a par with the energy consumption of Denmark. The high energy costs involved in mining bitcoins New Republic means that the process is often carried out in “places where electricity is cheap – and dirty”. A recent study found that 58% of mining was carried out in China. So it seems that while very few people actually use bitcoins, “we’re all paying for them” in environmental terms.

Is the new tax bill just a Christmas present for the wealthy? Donald Trump ran for president as an outsider who would Review, is that many well-to-do liberals stand to lose out under stand up for working people, said E.J. Dionne Jr in The it. At present, people can offset state and local taxes against Washington Post. But that “populist mask” has slipped, their federal taxable income. But the tax bill will eliminate this revealing just another “old-fashioned corporate conservative”. effective federal subsidy, forcing the wealthy residents of liberal Senate Republicans, with his full-throated support, have just strongholds such as New York and California to “face the rammed through “one of the most scandalous special-interest reality of their local high-tax, high-spending regimes”. Among tax bills” in history – a Christmas present to the GOP’s the bill’s biggest losers, according to The New York Times, prosperous donor class. The bill, which looks set to be will be those in Democratic areas who earn $200,000 or more. signed into law by the end of the year, will deliver a dramatic reduction in America’s corporate tax rate – from 35% to 20% Calling this bill a tax “reform” is a joke, said Pat Garofalo on – along with an estate (inheritance) tax rollback, enabling the USNews.com. It’s nothing of the sort. It doesn’t fi x any of the country’s wealthiest individuals to pass more tax-free money to problems with America’s convoluted tax code, but merely rigs their heirs. The only purpose of the Republican Party today, it the system “to pay off favoured constituencies and punish seems, is “to comfort the already extremely comfortable”. political opponents”. Some defenders claim the bill will pay for itself, but the Joint Committee on Taxation reckons that, even The Democrats recycle this accusation every time the GOP if the GOP’s predicted growth effect materialises, the bill will unveils significant tax cuts, said George F. Will in the same add “a cool $1trn” to the national debt. The Republicans paper. Yet in a country where the top 10% of earners supply complained during Barack Obama’s administration about the 70% of income tax revenue, any tax cut capable of acting as a deficit and the president’s contempt for proper procedure. Yet stimulus to the economy will, by the nature of things, primarily now they’ve forced through an incoherent, unpopular tax bill be a cut for the affluent. The reason Democrats are bleating so that will vastly expand that deficit. It “perfectly encapsulates loudly about this “evil” bill, said Heather Wilhelm in National everything wrong with today’s political process”.

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Was this brutal dictator Yemen’s “last, best hope” for peace? The world is not mourning the murder neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which of Yemen’s former president, said in March 2015, aided by eight other Faisal Al Yafai in The National (Abu mostly Sunni Arab states, launched Dhabi). If ever a man was responsible an air campaign (with logistical and for the destruction of his country, it intelligence support from the US, was Ali Abdullah Saleh. It’s due to UK and France) aimed at reinstating him that Yemen is on the verge of the government overthrown by the total disintegration: millions are Houthis. Thus has Yemen, one of the without electricity, medicine, food world’s poorest countries, found itself or shelter. He had survived several the fulcrum of a vicious proxy war attempts on his life during his 33 between Iran and Saudi Arabia. years of dictatorial rule. In 2011, he was almost blown to bits by an The de facto Saudi leader, Prince assassin and had to go to Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, is to treat his burns and wounds. Yet last Ali Abdullah Saleh: killed by his Houthi allies running this “immoral” war with week, his luck ran out: he was shot total disregard for the humanitarian dead by the Houthis – a political movement that champions the consequences, said Adil E. Shamoo on Foreign Policy In Focus Zaydis, a Shia Muslim sect from Yemen’s northern highlands. (Washington). Indiscriminate bombing has pulverised schools, hospitals and electricity plants; a border blockade has barred Brutal and corrupt, Saleh held on to power by deftly manipu- essential supplies, including the chlorine needed to purify lating Yemen’s competing tribes, said Yves Bourdillon in Les water. The resulting cholera outbreak has affected nearly one Échos (Paris). “Dancing on the heads of snakes,” he called it. million people. The terrible irony is that Saleh was, in the end, But when he was finally forced out of office in 2012, he didn’t Yemen’s last, best hope, said Faisal Al Yafai. He had come to go quietly. Instead, he and army units loyal to him teamed up the conclusion that the war had gone on long enough, and last with the Houthis. Backed by military assistance from Iran, the week declared his intention to make a deal with the Saudis. region’s dominant Shia power, the Houthis and Saleh loyalists That’s why the Houthis, his former allies, killed him. Now, any went on to wrest control of the majority of western Yemen, hope of a deal between these provincial gunmen from the north including the capital Sana’a, areas where the population is and the “political and merchant elite” of Sana’a has vanished mostly Sunni. This proved an intolerable provocation to with him.

It’s hard to think there could be a country whose citizens can’t buy medicines without risk of PAKISTAN endangering their lives, says Rafia Zakaria. But that’s what’s happening in Pakistan. The Lahore police have just carried out an investigation into the inspectors working for Pakistan’s drug Corruption is regulatory authority – the officials tasked with ensuring that drugs sold to the public are safe. The investigation revealed that no fewer than 64 of the 121 inspectors are on the take. That means that causing sick people are often being duped into taking pills that are counterfeit or past their sell-by date. We know how catastrophic the consequences can be. In 2012, about 100 cardiac patients at a Punjab hospital people to die suffered horrendous and needless deaths as a result of being given wrongly constituted medication. Pakistanis aren’t the only ones at risk. A recent World Health Organisation report revealed that Dawn 10% of all medicinal products – antibiotics in particular – sold in poor and middle-income countries (Karachi) are either expired, tainted or unsafe. Yet in Pakistan, the problem of “pills that kill” seems to be especially acute – sick people are, in effect, being forced to play “Russian roulette” with their health.

How bizarre that a group until recently reviled as terrorists should be set to govern a part of France, FRANCE says Le Monde. No one who knows anything about Corsica will have forgotten the four decades of bombings by separatists, the “murderous vendettas among militants” and the thuggishness. It’s Corsica sends a been a mere 20 years since the assassination of Claude Érignac, the island’s French prefect, who was killed by a nationalist gunman. Yet the sudden decision, in 2014, of the militant National Liberation defiant message Front of Corsica to renounce armed struggle and “swap weapons for ballots” has paid off well – so well that Corsican nationalists will soon govern the French island. A coalition of separatists and to Macron autonomists have now swept Corsica’s elections, giving it a mandate to demand autonomy. “It’s a very strong message to Paris,” says coalition leader Gilles Simeoni. “We want peace, we want Le Monde democracy, we want an emancipated island.” What they don’t want, of course, is true independence: (Paris) their economy relies too heavily on state jobs and state funding for that. But they will ask for full autonomy, a new tax status and recognition of their language. President Macron has so far ignored Simeoni’s movement: now he’ll have to negotiate.

A “ghostly armada” of North Korean fi shing boats is washing up on Japan’s western shores, says JAPAN Motoko Rich. Some are empty; others contain the corpses of dead crew members, often reduced to skeletons. But it’s not an unusual occurrence, especially in the autumn and winter, when conditions The mystery of are dangerous for North Korean fi shermen venturing far from land in scrappy wooden vessels. But there have been 76 such incidents since the start of the year – a third of them in November alone. North Korea’s Why so many? Why now? Did they hit bad weather and drift into Japanese waters? That’s the story given by 18 crew members who managed to survive. But it’s not entirely convincing: the ghost armada crew of a North Korean boat found anchored off Hokkaido had been looting fridges and TVs from The New York Times fi shing shacks. Many Japanese people think there’s an even darker purpose. They recall the spate of abductions by North Korean raiders in the 1970s, when shore-dwelling locals were dragged away to teach Japanese in the regime’s spy schools, or allegedly killed to steal their identities. But as it’s so hard to get reliable information out of North Korea, this mystery won’t be cleared up any time soon.

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Prizes: 1x £100,000, 5x Mini Cooper 3-Door Hatch, 10x £10,000, 40x Samsung QE55Q8CAMT 55” QLED TVs, 50x £1,000, 5,000x JBL T450BT Bluetooth Headphones. Gifts: 200,000x £3 Starbucks Gift eCard, 100,000x Single Odeon Cinema ticket. All other participants receive a3-month tastecard membership. For full terms see website. 22 NEWS Health & Science What the scientists are saying… Reversing the arrow of time who managed to lose 15kg or more saw A cool object cannot be used to heat a their type 2 diabetes go into remission. warmer one. That is certainly true in the Researchers from Newcastle and Glasgow average kitchen – but it seems different Universities recruited nearly 300 patients rules apply to quantum systems, says The from Tyneside and Scotland, all of whom Times. In a remarkable study, physicists were overweight or obese and had been linked two bundles of quantum particles, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the known as qubits, so that they shared the past six years. They were then randomly same magnetic moment (or spin). As this assigned to either standard treatment or a link broke down, thermal energy moved strict diet, which involved them consuming from the cooler qubit to the hotter one about 825 calories a day for three to fi ve – reversing a concept known as the months, then being supported as food was “arrow of time”. Proposed by the British reintroduced. After a year, the dieters had astronomer Arthur Eddington 90 years lost an average of 10kg, and nearly half ago, this posits that time fl ows from past had reverted to a non-diabetic state, to future because some physical processes rising to almost 90% among those who are irreversible. It’s easy to scramble eggs; lost 15kg or more. Only 4% of those in rather harder to put them back together. In the control group achieved remission. the same way, the second law of thermo- However, such a radical diet requires dynamics enshrines the principle that Can we control rats with gene-editing? medical supervision and may not be disorder – or entropy – tends to increase suitable for all patients. Additionally, the over time. However, the researchers say disease (COPD) and 39 with heart disease study excluded patients who take insulin. their fi ndings do not break the second law, to go for a two-hour walk either in Hyde because the law does not take correlated Park in London or on nearby Oxford A humane way to get rid of rats particles into account. What it shows is Street. A few weeks later, they walked in Rats are thriving in our cities, having that the arrow of time is “a relative the other location. For all the participants, grown resistant to the toxins laid down concept that depends on the choice of a walk in the park improved lung capacity to kill them. But now, scientists at the initial conditions”. Different systems can and reduced arterial stiffness; by contrast, University of Edinburgh want to see if it have arrows of time that point in different a walk on congested Oxford Street led to is possible to eradicate the pests effectively directions, says Eric Lutz, a theoretical only a small increase in lung capacity – and humanely – by spreading an infertility physicist at the University of Erlangen- and to a rise in arterial stiffness, even in gene. The “gene drive” might involve using Nürnberg, Germany, and a co-author the healthy volunteers. Participants with the gene-editing technique Crispr to insert of the study. Or, to put it another way, COPD were also wheezier after a walk an X chromosome “shredding” code into what may be true on a human scale is on Oxford Street than in the park. “If a rat’s DNA. This would mean its sperm not necessarily true on a quantum one. people cannot find a green place or a park all carried only the Y chromosome. Its to exercise, I think they probably should pups would therefore all be male and the Don’t exercise near traffic exercise indoors,” said study leader Dr Kian pups would also breed males. Were such If you’re thinking of going for a run, Fan Chung of Imperial College London. rats to be introduced into a problem area, avoid going along busy roads. A study of they would, over time, skew the gender over-60s has suggested that exercising on Type 2 diabetes can be reversed balance such that the rat population streets with high levels of traffic pollution Going on a crash diet can reverse type 2 would eventually become unsustainable. may do the body more harm than good. diabetes, even among patients who have The challenge is to give the “edit” an Researchers asked 40 healthy volunteers, had the disease for years, new research has expiration date, to avoid the infertility 40 with chronic obstructive pulmonary found. In a trial, almost all the participants gene spreading beyond its intended targets.

The world’s biggest battery Mental health epidemic The world’s biggest battery has About one in ten teenage girls in been installed in Australia – and in England were referred to specialist double-quick time. Covering a site mental health services in the past slightly larger than a football pitch year, along with a smaller proportion and consisting of hundreds of of teenage boys. The figures, from separate battery packs, it will NHS Digital, will add to growing store energy from wind power for concern about a mental health crisis afflicting young people. Other recent use when the wind is not blowing studies have revealed a 68% increase and the grid cannot meet demand. in the rate of self-harming among This often occurs in the heat of the teenage girls between 2011 and 2014, summer, when locals turn on the and that 25% of teenage girls report the air conditioning en masse. Created by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s company Tesla, symptoms of depression. Last week, the lithium ion battery should be able to power 30,000 homes for about an hour. the Children’s Commissioner reported South Australia has suffered a series of blackouts since last year, reflecting an that the number of children aged nine imbalance of supply and demand that has led to it having the highest electricity and under receiving psychiatric prices in the world. In March, the head of Tesla’s battery division stated that he treatment has gone up by 31% in a year. There were 60,000 NHS outpatient could stabilise the state’s electricity supply – and when Musk was asked on Twitter psychiatry appointments for children in if this was a serious claim, he replied: “Tesla will get the system working in 100 days that age group in 2016-2017. Experts from contract signature, or it is free. That serious enough for you?” The battery was have warned that services are creaking installed at a wind farm north of Adelaide after 63 days and Tesla won the $50m bet. under the strain and many children are Whether it’s enough to solve the electricity problem, however, remains to be seen. not getting the help they need.

THE WEEK 16 December 2017

24 NEWS Talking points

Pick of the week’s #MeToo: putting power in women’s hands “When the media began “fetishisation of victimhood”, Gossip covering the #MeToo said Ella Whelan on Spiked. moment, I gave it a week, Even Time’s photographs of Freddie Flintoff no longer believes the Earth is round. maybe two, before the the “silence breakers” – the The former England window would slam shut,” “close-ups of wet-eyed cricketer has become said Leigh Gilmore in The women” – seem to “glorify the obsessed with a podcast Boston Globe. That is how very fact of being a victim”. that argues that Disney long sex abuse stories But this only serves to make invented the idea of a usually get in “the court women seem, and feel, more round Earth. “If you’re in of public opinion”. But not powerless than we are. The a helicopter and you hover this time. After two months reality is that, “thanks to the why does the Earth not of “intensive coverage”, the struggles of women before come to you if it’s round?” said Flintoff on his own revelations are still coming. us”, we have more freedom Radio 5 podcast. “Why, Powerful men are “losing and better lives than our if we’re hurtling through prestige and jobs, along with grandmothers could have space, would water stay the air of impunity that had dreamt of. Bad things still still? Why is it not previously encircled them”. happen, but they don’t have to wobbling?” In reality, he And women who speak out define us. “There is no shame said, the world is “bulbous, about harassment are fi nally The “silence breakers” in being a victim – but neither like a turnip”. “The middle being listened to. Indeed, Time is there much power in it.” is the North Pole, around magazine has just awarded its Person of the the outside is the South Pole which is like a big Year title to the “silence breakers” of the On the contrary, said Julie Burchill in The wall of ice. This is why all #MeToo movement. Spectator: #MeToo has put real power into governments now have women’s hands. By standing up and telling her bases on the South Pole,” This isn’t the fi rst time the award has been story, each woman can return the shame and Flintoff added. given collectively, said Amanda Platell in The fear she has been hiding to where it properly Mail on Sunday. In 2003, it went to the belongs: with a man “so undesirable that he American soldiers fi ghting and dying in Iraq felt it necessary to force himself on someone and Afghanistan. In 2014, it went to the medics who didn’t want him”. A man who now, older who risked their lives to save thousands of and weaker, knows that “his victim may well people infected with Ebola in West Africa. This come looking for him, no longer scared”. year it goes to, among others, the pop star Predators all over the world are fi nally getting Taylor Swift, who says a man grabbed her the sleepless nights they deserve, “waiting for bottom. Is it really her “courage” that Time is the knock on the door and the police car in the honouring, or is this just a piece of “headline- street”. “Feel the fear – and pass it on: this is grabbing opportunism”? It’s all part of the the message of #MeToo.” Labour’s Brexit policy: still a mystery

Keith Chegwin (pictured) “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making serious scrutiny”. Recent refinements are no who died this week aged a mistake.” That was Napoleon’s advice, said more impressive, said Isabel Hardman on her 60, was never less than George Eaton in the New Statesman, and when Spectator blog. Starmer said this week that enthusiastic – even when it comes to Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn has followed Labour wanted “easy movement”, which falls he wasn’t sure what he it closely. While Theresa May struggled with the short of free movement, but would, he said, was enthusing about. negotiations with Brussels, Corbyn rarely raised enable people to “come and work here freely”. DJ Mike Read, his co-host the issue. At the last election, Labour’s position Backbenchers are frustrated. “They don’t know on Saturday Superstore, was so ambiguous that most people had no idea what easy movement is”, and Labour’s lack of a recalls a typical “Cheggers” segment: “He was what it was. Hard Brexit, soft Brexit or no clear position makes it “difficult to highlight the interviewing an athlete and Brexit – none were exactly ruled out. This Government’s weaknesses on Brexit”. It’s almost he said: ‘I see you’ve won has, so far, “worked rather well”: the party’s as if Starmer and his opposite number, David medals in the LOOM heartlands are split between Leave and Remain, Davis, are colluding to “maintain the cloud of hurdles... I’ve never heard and it has avoided alienating either side. Yet confusion so that neither has to fully confront of that!’ The guy replied: since last week’s deal, pressure has mounted, what is going on”. ‘It’s the 100m hurdles.’” said Heather Stewart in The Guardian. Labour frontbenchers, including shadow Brexit secretary There is no perfect moment for Corbyn to break Alan Johnson, the Labour MP-turned-author, likes to Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor John his silence on the issue, said Matthew Norman connect with fans. At the McDonnell, seem to be pushing for continued in The Independent. The “Brexit seesaw” Parliamentary Book Awards membership of the EU’s single market. swings ceaselessly and unpredictably: after last week, Johnson recalled sinking to new depths last week, May now how the novelist Joseph Labour’s “Brexit policy hokey-cokey” is a looks more secure than at any point since her Connolly was so busy at one disgrace, said Henry Newman on Conservative “kamikaze election”: polls show the Tories book signing that he failed Home. One week they want in to the single ahead of Labour for the fi rst time since the to look up from the table. market, next week they want out. Technically, summer. Yet the danger for Corbyn is that if he “Do you have one ‘I’ or their current position is that they want to leaves it too long, he will look like just another two?” Connolly asked after being handed a book. When retain “the benefits” of the single market and calculating politician and will lose his authority this was met with silence, the customs union, but they also want freedom to intervene at this crucial moment in our he looked up – into the face of movement to end. “This is pretty much the history. If he is looking for the right moment to of a man with an eyepatch. definition of cake having and eating.” Although fi nally share his Brexit policy with the rest of us, “palpably ridiculous”, the position has “escaped “about now seems as good as any”.

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 Talking points NEWS 25

Plastic: poisoning our oceans Wit & Our oceans are choking – which has 500 million on plastic, said the FT. people living close to its Wisdom There is nothing new banks – carries 1.5 million about this – but thanks tonnes of plastic to the “Discretion is the polite in part to the BBC series Pacific each year; in word for hypocrisy.” Blue Planet II, with its Africa, the Nile carries Christine Keeler, quoted distressing evidence that 91,000 tonnes of plastic in Vogue albatrosses are feeding into the Mediterranean “So long as there are earnest plastic to their chicks, annually, most of it believers in the world, they consumers are starting microplastics. Experts will always wish to punish to feel queasy about the predict this will rise, opinions, even if their mounds of plastic they with the main source judgement tells them it is discard every day. And A Chinese labourer sorting through recycling being household waste. unwise and their conscience there are signs that govern- By contrast, the Danube that it is wrong.” ments are getting serious too. Last week, more (Europe’s second longest river) discharges 1,530 Walter Bagehot, quoted than 200 countries backed a UN resolution tonnes into the Black Sea. There are possible on Forbes.com calling for action to reduce the “unnecessary use high-tech solutions: fl oating barriers could be of plastic”; numerous countries now tax plastic erected across river mouths to stop waste getting “Dirt is matter out of place.” bags, while some have banned them; in the UK, to the seas; fl oating bins could be used to suck it Mary Douglas, quoted in there have been calls for a levy on plastic bottles out. Yet it would be far better if we stop plastic The Guardian (around the world, more than 480 billion were getting into the rivers in the fi rst place. “If a thing is worth doing, it sold last year, equivalent to almost a million per is worth doing badly.” minute); and this week, Theresa May backed China is taking steps to tackle its waste problem, G.K. Chesterton, quoted Michael Gove’s suggestion that Britain could said The Daily Telegraph – and one of them is a in The Times use more of its foreign aid budget to help other new ban on the import of used plastic and other countries manage their plastic waste. “foreign garbage” for recycling. Since 2012, “If the facts are against you, Britain has sent 2.7 million tonnes of plastic to argue the law. If the law is Certainly, this is a global problem, said The China, where a great deal of it is not recycled, against you, argue the facts. Times. Recent analysis suggests that 88%-95% but incinerated or dumped. Now, we’re going If the law and the facts are of the plastic in our oceans is coming from as to have to manage our own waste better. That against you, pound the table few as ten rivers – two in Africa and eight in will mean building more recycling facilities – and yell like hell.” Asia. Mostly very long, they run through but also using less plastic. Weening ourselves off Poet Carl Sandburg, densely populated or conflict-ridden areas where plastic will be tough, not least economically, said quoted in municipal services cannot meet demand, and Malcolm David Hudson on The Conversation. National Review where there may be a culture of simply throwing Yet however important plastic is to us, we rubbish into the rivers. China’s Yangtze River depend even more on the health of our oceans. “No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in Vice-chancellors: shockingly overpaid? with it.” Poet Fernando Pessoa, It’s tough being a student these at fundraising, public diplomacy quoted on The Browser days, said Joel Kyereme in the and managing a big bureaucracy. New Statesman. We’re taking Given the importance of the “Say yes, and you’ll figure it on alarming levels of debt higher education sector to Britain’s out afterwards.” (£50,000 on average) to complete economy and international Tina Fey, quoted in our degrees, and are “genuinely standing, we can’t afford to hound Country Living fearful” about our future talented candidates out of their “The wisdom of crowds prospects. All of which makes the posts. More transparency is really depends upon recent revelations about runaway needed, though. Bath Spa is one the crowd.” vice-chancellor (VC) pay an “even of the UK’s smallest universities, Janice Turner in The Times more bitter pill to swallow”. It with just 7,000 students and an emerged last week that Professor annual income of less than £100m. “Amateurs borrow, Christina Slade, who stood down If Professor Slade’s £429,000 professionals steal.” as VC of Bath Spa University in “golden farewell” represents value Pablo Picasso, quoted in August, received no less than for money, as the university insists, The Observer £808,000 for her fi nal year of Professor Slade: golden farewell “it should explain why”. service. The “staggering” pay-off included £429,000 “compensation for loss of The real problem, said Kehinde Andrews in Statistics of the week office”, on top of her £250,000 salary and other The Guardian, is that education is now treated 113 women were killed by benefits. This news came days after Professor simply as a “commodity”. VCs have “become men in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year. Dame Glynis Breakwell announced that she was CEOs who are rewarded for attracting 92.1% were killed by someone resigning from the University of Bath following customers into multimillion-pound businesses”. they knew, and 69% by a a row over her £468,000 salary. No wonder Yet universities are perhaps the least appropriate current or former partner. VCs are becoming hate fi gures on campuses. institutions for the “captain of industry” model. The Independent It’s the staff on the ground who determine the This vilification is largely unfair, said The Times. quality of a university. They, and the students, More than 40% of the council While some VCs are “overpromoted”, most are its “lifeblood”. VCs play an important role homes sold under the Right deserve their salaries. Their job requires a mix in establishing an overall framework, “but how to Buy scheme are now being of skills that very few possess. They must have a could they ever truly justify the excessive sums let out by private landlords. distinguished academic record, yet also be adept that some universities pay out”? The Sunday Times

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 26 NEWS Sport

Football: have Man City already won the league? Officially, the Premier League season doesn’t end demanding methods are getting the best out of for another five months, said Daniel Taylor in his footballers: John Stones has “switched from The Guardian – but the title race is already over. unreliable to accomplished stalwart of the back At Old Trafford on Sunday, the “champions-in- line”; Sterling has already scored 13 goals. No waiting”, Manchester City, beat their arch-rivals player better embodies Guardiola’s philosophy Manchester United 2-1. It was the Blues’ 14th than Silva, said Barney Ronay in The Guardian. victory in a row – equalling a Premier League On Sunday, the Spanish midfielder may have record – and it gave them an 11-point lead over been the “least physically imposing” player on the second-placed United. They celebrated like a pitch, but he was majestic nonetheless: he directed team that had just won the league, infuriating the the play with a “slow-motion grace”, as if he were United manager, José Mourinho, and setting off two steps ahead of everyone else. a fracas between the sides. City’s dominance was staggering, said Jason Burt in The Daily Telegraph. United, by contrast, were desperately short of They played twice as many passes as United, who creativity, said Rory Smith in The New York could muster only 35% of possession, their lowest Times. Mourinho had them playing “deeper and at home since records began. deeper, reliant on hopeful long balls and fractured David Silva: majestic counter-attacks”. The home fans’ exasperation This was the day that revealed, beyond any doubt, was palpable: “If United is to lose, this is not that City are the most “progressive, intelligent, incisive club in how the club expects to go about it.” Few United players town”, said Ian Herbert in the Daily Mail. They “delivered the “covered themselves in glory”, said James Ducker in The Daily game’s best players” – David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Telegraph, but Romelu Lukaku had a particularly dismal game. Sterling – and its finest football. Like true champions, “they The Belgian striker fluffed a chance to score; he was yet more of were not all sweetness and light, either”: this is a team that a failure at the other end, where his errors contributed to both of knows how to tackle and block. City could have used some of City’s goals. Having started the season superbly, with seven goals that grit last season, said Jamie Jackson in The Observer. After in his first seven games, he has scored only once in the league leading for the first ten matches, they gave away too many silly since then. He is prone to going missing in “high-profile matches” points and finished third. Yet this time around, Pep Guardiola’s – and here, once again, he flopped “when it mattered most”. Cricket: England’s lads on tour “It takes some doing for England’s Ashes tour to Duckett has “history”, said Paul Hayward in The become even worse than the last one,” said Paul Sunday Telegraph. He was dropped as captain of Newman in The Mail on Sunday. Yet after their England’s under-19s for failing a fitness test and, latest late-night ignominy, this side is “well on the two years later, was convicted for drink-driving. way to usurping even the utter shambles of four The 23-year-old has been suspended for his “stupid years ago”. Last Thursday, on a night out in Perth, behaviour”; from now on, any other cricketers who Ben Duckett (a batsman for the Lions, who are in behave like “backpackers” should be sent home Australia alongside the Ashes squad) poured a drink altogether. Still, this tour is no “out-of-control stag- over James Anderson, the England bowler. As if that do”, said Mike Atherton in The Times – despite how wasn’t embarrassing enough, the incident took place it may appear. Players from previous generations in the very same bar where, only a few weeks earlier, would actually be surprised by how little the current England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow greeted crop drink. The problem, instead, is that cricketers Australia’s Cameron Bancroft with a “headbutt”. are so “mollycoddled” by management that they In normal circumstances, it would be easier to shrug Ben Duckett: suspended don’t know what to do when they’re given a bit of off those kinds of incidents, but as this tour is taking freedom. Duckett’s dousing of Anderson was a case place in the aftermath of Ben Stokes’s brawl on a night out in in point: it took place on the first night that England’s midnight Bristol, the players ought to be on their best behaviour. “How curfew was lifted. But we shouldn’t let all this boorishness over- could they be so utterly stupid?” shadow England’s real problem: their “ineptitude on the field”.

The Rocket’s record title Sporting headlines Ronnie O’Sullivan has always Mail. At this point, his only Rugby union Exeter were been his own worst critic, said challengers for the crown are beaten at home for the Shamoon Hafez on BBC Sport Davis, “an icon of 1980s sport”, first time in a year when online. And this year, he has and the “machine-like” Hendry. they lost 18-8 to Leinster been characteristically hard on And there’s one respect, at in the European Rugby himself, bemoaning his struggle least, in which O’Sullivan beats Champions Cup. Saracens for form. Yet even he, surely, those players “hands down” suffered a record home must have been satisfied with – and that is in personality. defeat in Europe, losing his performance in Sunday’s A “rapscallion and rebel”, he 46-14 to Clermont UK Championship final. In the is “the people’s champion”, Auvergne. Northampton sacked Jim Mallinder as evening session, at least, the Ronnie O’Sullivan: at his best the player that makes snooker Rocket was “at his fluent best”, appealing to the masses. director of rugby. knocking in two centuries. And he beat Shaun Now 42, with greying sideburns, O’Sullivan Boxing British boxer James Murphy 10-5 to claim the title for a sixth time – appears to have entered “the autumn of his DeGale lost his IBF world equalling Steve Davis’s record. He has now won career”. He even suggested last week that he’d super-middleweight title in a three ranking titles in the space of two months, be willing to skip next year’s UK Championship shock defeat to Caleb Truax. taking his total haul up to 31 – and putting him altogether in order to take part in I’m A Football In the Premier within five of Stephen Hendry’s all-time record. Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! All the more League, Chelsea beat Is O’Sullivan the greatest player in snooker’s reason, then, to “appreciate him while we Huddersfield 3-1. history, asked Jonathan McEvoy in the Daily still can”.

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LETTERS 29 Pick of the week’s correspondence

Exchange of the week Riding the university gravy train? To The Guardian vice-chancellor has shown an ability to vice-chancellors are the most obvious The debate around the remuneration of deal with these issues effectively. No targets, with their grossly inflated university vice-chancellors reached a new wonder their talents are in demand salaries, but there is a whole gravy train low with Andrew Adonis’s call for the globally, unlike the politicians with of pro-vice-chancellors, deputy-pro etc. Archbishop of Canterbury to look into whom they are compared. Much of the actual work is done by the issue. As a contributor to the current The debate is a convenient sham. It poorly paid academics, often on system of university finance, Lord Adonis takes attention away from the scandal zero-hours contracts. One course I should appreciate both the challenges of executive remuneration in British taught had 50 students in the first year, faced by universities in the present industry, where governments have talked then 125 and 180 in subsequent years. environment, and the distinct and rare long and done nothing. Equally, it is a The course was a nonsense with these combination of knowledge and skills useful distraction from discussion about vastly increased student numbers, so needed to lead them. the real issues around university finances I withdrew from teaching it after the first He should also realise that even the and student debt. If, however, Lord year. At another institution with which I highest-paid vice-chancellor’s salary Adonis wants a financial issue for the was associated, the principal spent has no material effect on student fees. archbishop to examine, perhaps the hundreds of thousands on an unnecessary I’ve studied and worked under almost £70m a year cost of the Lords, or the refurbishment of his suite of rooms while a dozen vice-chancellors, all outstanding average cost of almost £100,000 for he was sacking “redundant” academics scholars and leaders who have helped each of their lordships, would be a start. who were very close to retirement. All to create a higher education system that Emeritus professor Tom Cannon, of this happened years ago, but continues is the envy of the world. Universities are Manchester today. My view, based on decades of among the most complex organisations observation, is that university heads are in existence, balancing multiple To The Guardian frequently greedy, bullying incompetents challenges that range from achieving If rip-off fees guaranteed a university with no detectable managerial skills and research and teaching excellence across education of excellent quality they no commitment to the scholarship, fields ranging from the humanities to might be defensible. They do not. teaching and research which are what sciences, medicine to engineering, The university system is a self-serving universities are supposed to be about. while contributing locally, nationally bureaucracy whose sole aim is “bums Close examination of their salaries and and globally, culturally, socially and on seats”, hence maximising financial performance is long overdue. economically. The typical UK returns and fat-cat salaries. The Dr John Cookson, Bournemouth, Dorset

Don’t believe the DUP as in the rest of the UK, Arlene The pull of temptation in your report “Great and To the Financial Times Foster’s administration would To The Times good reveal the secrets of Readers in Great Britain and not have been responsible for It is reassuring to know that success: sound sleep and elsewhere should not be fooled such a scandalous waste of the Pope can fudge nearly as respect” reminded me of the by the Democratic Unionists’ taxpayers’ money. well as we of the Church of sleep technique attributed to protestations of a principle that When it suits, the DUP is England. He directs that “lead him. He would place a metal they will only accept the same quite happy to converge with us not into temptation” should tray under his chair and sit rules as the rest of the UK after the Republic. DUP politicians be changed to “don’t let us there with a spoon in his hand. the country leaves the EU. The were heavily involved in the fall into...”. There is surely a He would then fall asleep; the “British as Finchley” myth is campaigns to apply a lower difference between falling and spoon would drop on the tray, just that, a myth. Rules and corporation tax rate in NI, being pushed. and the resulting clatter would legislation in which Northern to match that in the Republic, Charles Keen, Chippenham, wake him. Ireland differs from the rest of and for a lower VAT rate in Wiltshire This short time was enough the UK are numerous. the hospitality sector, as to refresh his imagination. The most significant applied south of the border. Sir Humphrey’s Brexit Andrew M. Cubie, Bearsden, differences arise under the Mary Fulton, Ireland To The Guardian East Dunbartonshire Good Friday Agreement, to In addition to the “nothing which the DUP is a party. Splitting hairs is agreed until everything is The agreement gives NI To The Times agreed” caveat, the latest citizens the right to be As a student of human EU-UK statement on Brexit recognised as a citizen of behaviour, I have been cautions that it “does not another sovereign state (the intrigued to notice that, as prejudge any adaptations Republic of Ireland). The UK the fashion for de-gendering that might be appropriate in does not provide this option our society gains momentum, case transitional arrangements to UK citizens elsewhere in the so the facial hair of young men were to be agreed in the second jurisdiction. The DUP has also has grown progressively longer phase of the negotiations, been happy to be selective and, I am reliably informed, and is without prejudice to about other aspects of laws the pubic hair of young women discussions on the framework applicable in the rest of the has been trimmed shorter. of the future relationship”. Sir UK, for example in social areas It is amusing to observe this Humphrey must have been up (abortion, same-sex marriage, gently symbolic exaggeration all night. blasphemy), employment law of a key gender difference Dr John Doherty, Austria “It causes more rows than and defamation. And, of that quietly subverts the Monopoly and lasts longer than course, if NI’s Renewable noisy campaigning of the A surreal alarm clock a 1,000 piece jigsaw” Heat Incentive scheme had fad-mongers. To The Times been designed in the same way Desmond Morris, Oxford Your mention of Salvador Dalí © MATT/THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

● Letters have been edited 16 December 2017 THE WEEK

Drama & Music ARTS 31 Theatre: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe West Yorkshire Playhouse, Quarry Hill, Leeds (0113-213 7700). Until 27 January Running time: 2hrs 40mins ★★★★

Sally Cookson is the director you’d and is swallowed up by the choose to “take you by the hand ground. It’s not so much a coup through the wardrobe and into the de théâtre as a “miracle” – and icy, enchanted realm of Narnia”, presages a second half in which said Claire Allfree in The Daily other aerial stunts add an extra Telegraph. With her acclaimed frisson to the “scary, propulsive productions of Peter Pan, Jane and delightful” show. Eyre and Cinderella, Cookson has My only gripe about the practically become the “Kitemark adaptation is that the role of of vigorous, stripped-back Aslan (who is magnificent in both adaptations” involving “bewitched puppet and human form) is slightly and beautiful storytelling. I’m not downplayed, said Natasha Tripney sure Christmas would be the same in The Stage. The moment of his without her.” And this terrific show sacrifice, and Lucy and Susan’s is another cracker. In conjuring up The wonderfully glacial Carla Mendonça as the White Witch grief, “doesn’t have as much Narnia’s endless winter, Cookson emotional impact as it might”. and designer Rae Smith (of War Horse renown) have mostly Otherwise, this is a richly theatrical and “truly epic” show, plumped for “old-fashioned sleight of hand” rather than with a “real charge” of magic and feeling, said Matt Trueman technical trickery, said Catherine Love in The Guardian. With on WhatsOnStage.com. “It’s unwieldy in places, too vast and scenery suggestive of make-believe games, bedsheets become amorphous for its own good, and as it unfolds, panto risks carpets of snow and suitcases turn into train carriages. It might creeping in, but at its best, this is brilliant. A Narnia for now.” not be high-tech, “but it’s certainly high-joy. Give me rough magic every time.” The week’s other opening There is plenty of rough magic here, said Dominic Maxwell in Guys and Dolls Royal Exchange Theatre, St Anne’s Square, The Times, but there are also large-scale theatrical coups. At the Manchester (0161-833 9833). Until 3 February end of the first half, for example, there’s a bone-chilling moment Michael Buffong relocates the ever-popular “fable of when the White Witch (a wonderfully glacial and spooky Carla Broadway” to Harlem, giving it all-black casting and jazz- Mendonça) suddenly rises high into the air in a crack of thunder, infused musical inflections. Although a couple of roles still her dress extending down to cover the whole of the massive need more definition, this is an evening of “many captivating circular stage. Then, just as suddenly, she whooshes back down charms” and explosive choreography (Guardian).

The best music of 2017: based on the quality of reviews and on our own assessment Pop Classical Pop rock

Lorde: Melodrama Mahler: Symphony Father John Misty: Universal £5.99 No. 3 (conductor: Pure Comedy Iván Fischer) Bella Union £8.99 With her acclaimed Channel Classics £21.53 debut single Royals, the Josh Tillman (aka New Zealand musician Channel Classics are Father John Misty) has Lorde emerged as a famous for setting high “the swagger of Jagger “teen prodigy”, says technical standards, but and Dylan’s social Rolling Stone. Here, she raises the bar they surpass themselves here, says nous”, and is simply the most cantankerous again, marrying the “massive vistas” of Gramaphone. “I doubt whether there has and most beautiful songwriter in pop, says electronic music with “genuinely intimate” ever been a more precisely focused, more The Sunday Times. On this brilliant album, songwriting to produce a “record that sheerly beautiful recording of any Mahler his third as FJM, he comes across as “Elton should stand as a touchstone for young work.” Iván Fischer elicits from the superb John doing Radiohead, with melody-packed pop hopefuls for years to come”. At its Budapest Festival Orchestra a “range of songs that sprawl and soar, and lyrics that most ambitious, this stunning album recalls pristine, jewel-like colour” that seems to probe and mock. Put it this way: the the godmother of “art-rock”, Kate Bush. leave the fabric of this great work refreshed. 13-minute, self-effacing acoustic epic Lorde is in that league. “This Third is a must-have.” Leaving LA actually feels too short.” Jazz Opera Box set Cécile McLorin Salvant: Berlioz: Les Troyens Nick Cave And The Dreams and Daggers (conductor: John Bad Seeds: Lovely Mack Avenue £16.99 Nelson) Creatures, The Best Erato Warner £29.99 of 1984-2014 This “adventurous” Mute from £8.99 double album confirms John Nelson’s new Salvant as “one of the recording of Berlioz’s Cave is the “greatest, most exciting jazz astonishing magnum deepest, boldest and singers to emerge in years”, says Jazzwise opus – a grand opera in five acts based on most original lyrical singer-songwriter of the magazine. She delivers an “electrifying the Aeneid – “surpasses its predecessors”, post-punk generation”, says Neil McCormick performance” of a mostly standards-based especially in the principal roles, says The in The Daily Telegraph. What this superbly repertoire, blending “old-time authenticity, Sunday Times. Joyce DiDonato as Didon, curated best-of shows is that – counter to innate virtuosity and heat of the moment Michael Spyres as Énée and Marie-Nicole pop precedent – Cave has got better with invention”, and displaying a gift for Lemieux as Cassandra are “sensationally time, so that his “later work is even richer “emotional nuance” ranging from good”. And there is fine work, too, from and more original”. Available as a double “desolation to resignation via irony and the choruses, supporting cast and the CD, triple LP or a deluxe edition with three

© BIRGIT + RALFdevil-may-care BRINKHOFF abandon”. Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. CDs, a two-hour DVD and a 36-page book.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 32 ARTS Film

When we speak of the “refugee crisis”, which one do we mean? The flow of Africans to Europe by sea? Perilous overland journeys from the Middle East? Human Flow The “Jungle” at Calais? This “angry, thoughtful” documentary by the Chinese artist and activist Ai Dir: Ai Weiwei Weiwei covers all of these and more, said Dave 2hrs 20mins (12A) Calhoun in Time Out. It “offers a portrait of forced human movement and suffering that feels almost Compelling documentary timeless”. Ai skips between continents, said Kevin Maher in The Times, splicing snippets of handheld about migration footage with deeply affecting on-camera interviews. ★★★★ At one point, for example, a Kurdish woman in a Turkish camp, overcome by memories of her ordeal, suddenly vomits into a bucket. There are 65 million refugees worldwide, more than at any time since the Second World War, said Nigel Andrews in the FT. But Ai never lets us fall prey to “compassion fatigue”: the details he alights on have the power “to jump-start our unselfish gene so that we can see the tragedy of others as if it is ours”. Much of the footage – for example, shots of a vast Lebanese camp, its streets “cobwebbed with power cables” – is staggering, said Robbie Collin in The Daily Telegraph. Only the hardest- hearted will fail to be “swept up” by Human Flow’s “currents” and “galvanised by its rallying call”.

Jake Gyllenhaal is “effortlessly good” in this gritty true-life drama about Jeff Bauman, a regular blue- Stronger collar joe who lost his legs in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, said Benjamin Lee in The Dir: David Gordon Green Guardian. Bauman became a poster boy for the 1hr 59mins (15) city’s defiant spirit, yet the refreshing thing about this film is its refusal to paint him as a saint. Nor does it Gyllenhaal’s bid pull punches in its depiction of his suffering, said for Oscar glory? Geoffrey Macnab in The Independent. We see him “writhing on the floor” after falling off the lavatory, then struggling to drag himself across a car park after ★★ a row with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the upbeat ending – hero’s nobility shows through; the faith of his outspoken mother (Miranda Richardson) is vindicated – is too “glib” for the film’s good. I found this “hold on to your hankies” movie altogether resistible, said Kevin Maher in The Times. “It’s the Jake Gyllenhaal Show, where almost every molecule of dramatic oxygen is sucked up into his enormous, all-consuming performance” in a bid for Oscar glory. If that sounds cynical, well, so is this film. Expect nominations to follow.

The night before the American Senate votes on his bill, when he ought to be whipping up support, a politician named Stan Lohman (Richard Gere) The Dinner arranges a family dinner in a restaurant. He says he Dir: Oren Moverman has something important to discuss. But what could 2hrs (15) be so urgent as to take precedence over his political future? Oren Moverman’s film has an “immaculate” set-up and a killer cast, which includes Steve Coogan “A firework display as Stan’s unhinged, envious brother, and Rebecca of dullness” Hall and Laura Linney as the siblings’ respective wives, one sour, the other sweet, said Jonathan Pile ★ in Empire. Yet the film entirely fails to deliver on its promise. That’s mostly “down to Coogan”, said Ed Potton in The Times. The others deliver judicious, understated performances, but Coogan’s gurning turn screams “I’m acting!” in every frame. The film is a pageant of “actorly confrontation”, interwoven with dramatically slack flashbacks that fail to enlighten, said Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian. Through “some terrible non-chemistry and anti-alchemy”, the stars and the director – despite their undoubted talents – have come together to create “a shouty, hammy, tedious, damp-squib firework display of dullness”.

“How very unexpected. The Christmas movie of 2017 turns out to be a cheerfully unpleasant and Better Watch Out bracingly nasty horror film,” said Peter Bradshaw Dir: Chris Peckover in The Guardian. The parents of Luke (Levi Miller), 1hr 29mins (15) a pampered 12-year-old, go out for a party, leaving him and his best friend (Ed Oxenbould) in the care of the 17-year-old babysitter (Olivia DeJonge), on A black comedy whom Luke has a crush. He has deluded plans to for Christmas seduce her, yet things take an unexpected turn after they watch a horror movie. A sinister shadow appears ★★ at the window. Then the phone rings... but there’s no one there. And so on. What starts out seeming like a “basement-level Scream” rises to heights of “Pirandellian persiflage”, said Nigel Andrews in the FT. I won’t reveal the twist, but trust me, it’s a killer. Quite the contrary, said Kevin Maher in The Times, I found this “profoundly unappealing Christmas-themed horror flick” to be nastily violent without being remotely scary. In short, it is “depressingly, unremarkably crass”.

THE WEEK 16 December 2017

34 The List

Best books… Michael Rosen Television Michael Rosen, the children’s poet and author, picks his favourite books. Programmes His latest children’s book Bah! Humbug! is a retelling of Dickens’s A Feud: Bette and Joan Eight Christmas Carol and is illustrated by Tony Ross (Scholastic UK, £10.99) part-series about the legendary rivalry between Bette Davis Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, ending is much better than the while travelling by train to and Joan Crawford. Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange 1961 (Vintage £9.99). Set on a one recommended to him! Berlin to visit his grandmother. play the Hollywood legends. US air force base during WWII, A gang of boys he meets on the Sat 16 Dec, BBC2 21:00 this novel manages to combine Candide by Voltaire, 1759 street come to his rescue. Berlin (105mins). the personal, social and (Penguin £5.99). Voltaire itself is a character, with its political. Even in the midst didn’t invent satire, but we new neon lights, the roar of The Mystery of Edwin of what many regard as a could perhaps credit him trams and the crowds. Drood Repeat of the BBC’s just war, this shows it as a mix with inventing its modern entertaining adaptation of of incompetence, corruption form. Confronted by disaster, Complete Poems by Carl Dickens’s unfinished novel and senseless destruction. atrocity and deceit, the naive Sandburg (HMH, £65.90). It about the disappearance of Edwin Drood. With Matthew Incredibly, Heller knew how Candide is enjoined to believe was Carl Sandburg more than Rhys and Freddie Fox. Sun to make this mix funny. that he lives in “the best of all any other poet who taught me 17 Dec, BBC4 21:00 (120mins). possible worlds”. Voltaire to speak my poems onto the Great Expectations by exposes the cruel mismatch page. He was one of the first Myanmar: The Hidden Charles Dickens, 1861 between reality and false ideas. poets to give a voice to work- Truth Rohingya Muslims (Penguin £5.99). The story ing people and those going have fled Myanmar to of Pip as he makes his journey Emil and the Detectives by about their daily lives. He escape being killed, raped through life is an insight into Erich Kästner, 1929 (Red Fox helped pave the way for other and abused by security forces frailty, self-deceit and ambition. £5.99). I could hardly not great American poets I love – and local militant Buddhists. Using eyewitness testimony, Even at his worst, our feelings include a book for children like Langston Hughes, Kenneth government documents towards Pip are tempered by and this is my favourite. It Fearing and Muriel Rukeyser, and unseen footage, Justin the commentary of his older tells the story of young Emil, who between them opened Rowlatt shows how these self. One tip: Dickens’s original who is robbed of his money poetry up to what it is today. attacks are part of a planned Titles in print are available from The Week Bookshop on 020-3176 3835. For out-of-print books visit www.biblio.co.uk operation. Mon 18 Dec, BBC1 19:30 (30mins).

The Week’s guide to what’s worth seeing and reading Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire The Showing now ballerina explores the life of Young Frankenstein at the Garrick Theatre, the celebrated Hollywood star, London WC2 (0330-333 4811). Mel Brooks’ 30 years after his death. Thur musical version of his 1974 spoof horror film 21 Dec, BBC1 22:45 (60mins). “is a hoot” and boasts a “cracking comic cast” – including Hadley Fraser and Ross Noble Films Love Is Strange (2014) (Sunday Times). Ends 29 September. John Lithgow and Alfred Molina star as two charming Turner Prize 2017 at Ferens Art Gallery, gay New Yorkers in Ira Sachs’s Hull (01482-613902). This year’s winner moving drama about the perils was Lubaina Himid, whose “exuberant” work and comforts of their new addresses racial politics and colonial history. marriage. Sun 17 Dec, Film4 The painter Hurvin Anderson’s landscapes are 23:15 (110mins). also worth checking out for their sheer “visual Young Frankenstein: “a hoot” pleasure” (FT). Ends 7 January. Girlhood (2014) Céline Sciamma’s unflinching Boy and Public Service Broadcasting, and portrait of the life a black Book now cabaret from Le Haggis. 18-28 January, various working-class, teenage girl in Hayley Atwell stars in the UK premiere of Sarah venues, Dumfries (www.bigburnssupper.com). a Paris banlieue. Wed 20 Dec, Burgess’s comedy Dry Powder, about wheeling Film4 01.35 (140mins). and dealing among Manhattan’s financiers. Just out in paperback 26 January-3 March, Hampstead Theatre, The Man Who Knew by Sebastian Mallaby London NW3 (020-7722 9301). (Bloomsbury) 14.99). This biography of Alan New to Netflix Greenspan, who ran the US Federal Reserve The Crown The royal drama Bill Bailey is appearing at Big Burns Supper, a from 1987 to 2006, won the FT’s Business Book returns for a second series, festival of music, theatre and comedy celebrating of the Year in 2016. It examines the damage the covering the years 1956 and Robert Burns. There’s music from Badly Drawn global crash did to his reputation (Sunday Times). 1963. Claire Foy and Matt Smith reprise their roles, and Matthew Goode joins the cast The Archers: what happened last week as Antony Armstrong-Jones. DI Thorpe and Harrison inform Justin that he’s no longer a suspect in the attempted murder of Matt. Harrison still suspects Justin’s involved, but Thorpe’s more interested in the Melling Equestrian Dark Gripping German sci-fi angle. Jim’s impressed by the Tumble Tussock cider and orders a turkey to get a free bottle on the thriller series, with echoes offer. Ian attends the fertility clinic and is devastated to learn that he’s unlikely to father a child, of Stranger Things. A small even with IVF. Adam offers to be the sperm donor. Jennifer worries when Peggy nearly faints at the town near a nuclear plant is hairdresser. Peggy says she’s been losing sleep over Christine’s financial woes. Adam offers Johnny plagued by eerie goings-on. a full-time job as Jeff isn’t returning; Johnny’s flattered, but wants to think on it. The launch of the Grey Gables Christmas menu is a success. Ian’s starting to relax when Brian says that being infertile Godless Michelle Dockery doesn’t make him odd. Ian tells Lexi that he imagined having a child who reminded him of his stars in this fabulous seven- mother. Pip tells Toby she’s pregnant. They agree that the circumstances are wrong and he supports part Western set in 1884 in her decision to have an abortion. Lilian and Justin discuss the wedding. Justin thinks they should a town run by women. move on, but is interrupted by a phone call so Lilian leaves. She finally tells Peggy the wedding’s off. All three are streaming now © MANUEL HARLAN

THE WEEK 16 December 2017

36 ARTS Books of the year

The critics’ top eight choices based on Christmas selections in national newspapers,

1 Home Fire 2 Lincoln in Kamila Shamsie the Bardo Bloomsbury £16.99 George Saunders The Week Bookshop £14.99 Bloomsbury £18.99 The Week Bookshop £16.99 Kamila Shamsie’s seventh novel is an ambitious retelling This first novel by acclaimed of Sophocles’ Antigone, set in short-story writer George contemporary London and Saunders has an extravagantly Syria. At its centre are three strange premise: set in a ceme- siblings torn between loyalty tery over a single night, it is to their jihadist father and the narrated by the spirits of those values of modern Britain; two buried alongside Abraham follow a respectable path, while Lincoln’s much-loved son the third joins Islamic State. Willie, who succumbed to Critics praised Shamsie’s bold typhoid fever in 1862. Despite handling of thorny political being a challenging read, the questions, and her originality through the prism of a novel met with a rapturous Praise: “A puzzling, hilarious in drawing parallels between classic two-sides-of-the- reception, with critics finding vortex of invention that only ancient times and now. track love story.” (George it profound and hilarious – and Saunders could pull off.” Osborne, London Evening some reading it as an oblique (Jennifer Egan, The Guardian) Number of votes: 11 Standard) attack on Donald Trump. Few were surprised when it won “Like literary psilocybin, Who chose it? George “Does a great job of bringing the Man Booker Prize. scaring the bejesus out of you Osborne, Ali Smith, Martha Sophocles’ Antigone before revealing the world Kearney, Mark Lawson, into the world of Skype Number of votes: 10* anew.” (Richard Godwin, Melissa Benn and six others. and Isis.” (Melissa Benn, London Evening Standard) New Statesman) Who chose it? Praise: “Tackles issues Gordon Brown, Jennifer Egan, “The book is as weird as it of terrorism, political “Reveals the ancient tragedy Joan Bakewell, Jason Cowley, sounds, but it’s also pretty showboating and jihadist we’re living right now.” Chigozie Obioma, Richard darn good.” (James Marriott, recruitment in London (Ali Smith, The Guardian) Godwin and four others. The Times)

5 Reservoir 13 6 The Sparsholt Jon McGregor Affair 4th Estate £14.99 Alan Hollinghurst The Week Bookshop £12.99 Picador £20 The Week Bookshop £17 A breakout work for the Nottingham-based Jon The Sparsholt Affair is a McGregor, Reservoir 13 is a multigenerational portrait hard-to-categorise novel set of gay life in England in in a Peak District village. It the 20th century. Composed begins like a thriller, with the of five interlinked sections, disappearance of a 13-year- it charts the build-up old girl, before turning into to – and fallout from – something very different: an a public scandal involving attempt to memorialise the a prominent industrialist entire life of the village over a and a Conservative MP. 13-year period. Reviews were Many consider Hollinghurst overwhelmingly positive, with and structurally brilliant. I’ve to be England’s finest prose readers see such a fundamental critics singling out McGregor’s never read anything quite stylist, and critics applauded rethinking of what fiction subtle handling of time, his like it.” (Sarah Winman, his refined sentences. Yet can do.” (Philip Hensher, humane treatment of his The Observer) some argued that he has The Spectator) characters and the novel’s covered similar ground more restrained mysticism. “An original and very moving successfully in previous novels. “A sweeping and intimate tour de force.” (George masterpiece, full of sensual Number of votes: 8* Saunders, The Guardian) Number of votes: 8* pleasures and observational wisdom.” (Geoff Dyer, Who chose it? George “An extraordinary addition Who chose it? Philip The Observer) Saunders, Linda Grant, Roddy to English fiction, a Hensher, Geoff Dyer, Rebecca Doyle, Paula Hawkins and shepherd’s calendar set in a Rose, Robert Douglas- “Masterful... sumptuous... four others. modern Peak District village.” Fairhurst and four others. thrillingly stylish and (Jeremy Noel-Tod, The Times gripping.” (Alex Preston, Praise: “Lyrical, restrained Literary Supplement) Praise: “It’s not often that The Observer)

To order these titles at the above discounts – or any other book in print – visit www.theweek.co.uk/bookshop or call 020-3176 3835. *Where books have been chosen an equal number of times, The Week has cast the deciding vote

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 Books of the year ARTS 37

the London Evening Standard, The Spectator and the New Statesman

3 Anthony Powell 4 Mr Lear Hilary Spurling Jenny Uglow Hamish Hamilton £25 Faber £25 The Week Bookshop £22 The Week Bookshop £22

This is a sympathetic Jenny Uglow’s Mr Lear is biography of one of the great the first major biography British novelists of the 20th of the Victorian poet and century – the author of A artist Edward Lear for Dance to the Music of Time. several decades. Generously Hilary Spurling, who was illustrated with his verses, close to Anthony Powell in drawings and paintings, his final years, earned praise the book captures Lear’s for her command of English humour and lovability, as intellectual history and her well as his life-long loneliness vivid portraits of his friends, and depression. Uglow including George Orwell and proves herself a scrupulous Evelyn Waugh. Yet some judicious, it doubles as and perceptive guide, with itself is an object of great reviewers felt that Spurling’s an alternative history of reviewers admiring her tactful beauty.” (Wesley Stace, closeness to Powell led her a lost kind of Englishness.” handling of her subject’s Times Literary Supplement) to downplay his irascibility (Tim Adams, The Observer) repressed homosexuality. and snobbishness. “A fitting monument to “Excellent… makes clear that Number of votes: 9 one of the most remarkable Number of votes: 10* the reader is in the hands of Englishmen who ever an interpreter well-disposed Who chose it? Craig Brown, lived.” (Craig Brown, The Who chose it? towards her subject.” (Gaby Jane Shilling, Michael Prodger, Mail on Sunday) Antonia Fraser, Claire Wood, The Daily Telegraph) Gaby Wood, Claire Tomalin Tomalin, Michael Howard, and four others. “Gives us a man as full of Claire Lowdon, Gaby Wood “Often surprising and always contradictions as his verse... and five others. brilliant... I couldn’t put it Praise: “A moving and splendidophoropherostiph- down.” (Claire Tomalin, fascinating biography. ongious fun.” (Claire Lowdon, Praise: “Intimate and New Statesman) What’s more, the book The Sunday Times)

7 Ma’am Darling 8 Conversations Craig Brown with Friends 4th Estate £16.99 Sally Rooney The Week Bookshop £14.99 Faber £14.99 The Week Bookshop £12.99 Craig Brown’s Ma’am Darling is a deconstructed biography A debut novel set in post- of Princess Margaret, crash Dublin, Sally Rooney’s offering “99 glimpses” of Conversations With Friends the Queen’s younger sister. centres on two female perfor- An unorthodox blend of fact, mance poets in their early gossip, newspaper cuttings 20s, who become entangled and parodies, the book earned with an older married couple. praise for its zaniness and Rooney’s characters speak originality – and for being in an ironical style that uproariously funny. A few serves to mask their emotional critics wondered, though, if vulnerability. Critics praised Brown’s subject – described by as distilled and pickled the novel for its psychological of female friendship.” one as a “pretty ghastly human through the genius of Craig insight and effortless prose, (Anthony Cummins, being” – merited such close Brown.” (Helen Davies, with one describing Rooney as The Daily Telegraph) attention. The Sunday Times) the “Salinger of the Snapchat generation”. “An absorbing confessional Number of votes: 8* “A compendium of conflicting, about the emotional unreliable, bitchy, fascinating Number of votes: 7 connections around sex.” Who chose it? Craig Raine, gossip.” (Craig Raine, (Susannah Butter, London Frances Wilson, Robbie The Spectator) Who chose it? Sebastian Evening Standard) Millen, Kathryn Hughes and Barry, Helen Simpson, Joe four others. “A cross between biography Dunthorne, Peter Kemp and “Truman Capote reborn, and satire that perfectly three others. with more than a dash of the Praise: “A modern and displays Brown’s rare skills high intelligence of Elizabeth unconventional portrait of as journalist and parodist.” Praise: “A shrewdly comic Bowen.” (Sebastian Barry, an old-fashioned princess (Mark Lawson, The Guardian) take on the modish theme The Observer)

Free p&p for orders over £20 in the UK. Bookshop opening times: Mon to Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm and Sun 10am-2pm

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 38 Best properties

Rural retreats under £500,000

▲ Powys: Maenllwyd Isaf, Abermule, Montgomery. A charming Grade II timber-framed country cottage in an idyllic rural location, set in just over four acres of landscaped gardens and grounds, which have been created over the past 50 years. Master bed, 2 further beds, family bath, boudoir, eaves store, dining room, kitchen, drawing room, double garage, orangery, greenhouse, stores, mature formal gardens, pond, orchard, paddock. £495,000; Savills (01952-239500).

▲ Moray: St. Margaret’s, Main Street, Urquhart. A pretty Victorian house in landscaped gardens. Master bed, 4 further beds, shower room, family bath, open plan kitchen/double recep, 2 further receps, study/office, porch/boot room, bathroom, utility, garage/ workshop, wood store, hopper room. £435,000; Strutt & Parker (01463-719171).

▲ Cornwall: Fir Trees, North Dimson, ▲ Norfolk: 125 High Road, Needham, Gunnislake. A charming detached property Harleston. A Grade II, timber-framed property, sitting in more than half an acre. 5 beds, set in about 0.43 acres parallel to the River family bath, kitchen/breakfast room, 2 receps, Waveney. 3 beds, family bath, 2 receps, utility, pantry, utility, snug, store, garage, shower breakfast room, kitchen, store, porch, off-road room with WC, greenhouse and large garden. parking, mature gardens. £350,000; Durrants £499,950; Stags (01566-774999). (01379-852217).

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 on the market 39

▲ Norfolk: Hill House, Binham, Fakenham. A detached Grade II brick and flint cottage with 17th century origins. Master bed, 1 suite, 2 further beds, family bath, entrance hall, kitchen/ breakfast room, 2 receps, rear lobby, WC, summerhouse, single garage, enclosed garden. £495,000; Bedfords (01328-730500).

▲ Devon: The Post Office, Lower Ashton, Exeter. A Grade II cottage in a pretty village with views of the Teign Valley and Dartmoor National Park. Master bed, 3 further beds (1 with en suite shower), family bath, WC, 2 receps, utility, kitchen, retail space, store, private parking, log store, large garden. £485,000; Strutt & Parker (01392-215631).

▲ Highlands: Gillivoan House, Latheron, Caithness. Master suite, 1 further suite, 4 further beds, 2 showers, hall, 2 receps, rear hall, cloakroom, utility, kitchen, driveway, former stables, coach house, gardens, 0.6 acres. £295,000; Knight Frank (0131-222 9600).

▲ Somerset: High Beech Cottage, Culmhead, Taunton. A former gamekeeper’s cottage on in a third of an acre in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 3 beds, family bath, 3 receps, study, kitchen, entrance hall, garage, garden. £450,000; Symonds & Sampson (01460-200790).

▲ Isle of Wight: Truckles Cottages, Whippingham. A delightful semi- detached period cottage – believed to have formerly been an Osborne Estate gardener’s cottage – in a picturesque setting. 4 beds, family bath, shower, entrance hall, kitchen/dining room, 1 further recep, cloakroom, rear porch, loggia, garden enclosed by hedging, terrace, garden store, garage. £365,000; Spence Willard (01983-200880).

16 December 2017 THE WEEK “Excellent” LEISURE 41 Food & Drink Nine of the best food books from 2017 Salt, Fat, The Savvy The Acid, Heat Cook Christmas Samin Nosrat Izy Hossack Chronicles Canongate Mitchell Beazley Nigel Slater £30 (£26) £14.99 (£12.99) 4th Estate £26 “I’ve been Izy Hossack’s first The twin joys of waiting for a book, Top with childhood and book like this for Cinnamon, was winter cookery are a long time,” says published to great lovingly celebrated Francesca Angelini acclaim in 2014 while she was still in this gem of a in The Sunday Times. In her liberating at university. This new one, full of Christmas offering from Nigel Slater, says and “indispensable guide to the whole “delicious, fail-safe recipes on a Bee Wilson in The Guardian. More than subject of cooking”, Samin Nosrat budget”, is as good as the first and just a cookbook – it’s subtitled “Notes, stories explains with humour and concision how as beautifully shot, says Harriet Addison & 100 essential recipes for midwinter” – it all great cookery boils down to the four in The Times. Buy it and you’ll find it also features pieces on early memories and elements of the title. Nosrat “arms you takes no time for her recipes (such as seasonal subjects such as Christmas trees, with the underlying principles that you French toast with miso-date butter; frost fairs and the origins of the advent need to make anything taste good”, and cauliflower, leek and sage pie; chocolate calendar. This is a “paean to winter eating provides a range of “inviting” recipes to chip, raspberry and almond cake) to that is as reassuring and welcome as the practise with. “seamlessly enter your repertoire”. clementine at the bottom of a stocking”.

At My Table The Orange Nigella Lawson Sportsman Blossom Chatto & Stephen Harris & Honey Windus Phaidon £29.95 John Gregory- £26 (£23) (£26) Smith In her new book, This warm and Kyle Books Nigella makes a unpretentious cook- £19.99 (£17) welcome return book shows how the I loved this to the territory author’s unassuming “escapist volume” of her debut, How gastropub – The on Moroccan to Eat, says Diana Henry in The Daily Sportsman in Seasalter on the north Kent cooking from the food writer and chef John Telegraph. In other words, it has no coast – became “one of the most adored Gregory-Smith, says Rhian Williams in theme other than “this is from my places to eat in Britain”, says Francesca The Independent. Mouthwatering recipes kitchen” and is stuffed with ingenious Angelini. You will find lots of recipes for include Berber frittata, cumin-battered dishes you want to cook immediately. the pub’s classics (turbot with smoked cod hake and a “decadent” pomegranate and “A gal who writes better than Elizabeth roe; slip sole with seaweed butter), but it is chocolate cake. And it includes a very David and can tell you what to eat on a the candid diary entries and thoughtful handy chapter on essentials: everything Friday night in front of the telly? That’s accounts of the local surroundings that from mint tea and preserved lemons to my kind of food writer.” really make the book “shine”. cumin salt and homemade harissa.

The Sweet The Art of Wine Dine Yotam the Larder Dictionary Ottolenghi and Claire Victoria Moore Helen Goh Thomson Granta £20 (£17) Ebury £27 (£24) Quadrille £25 “If you’re stuck in Lots of us have been (£22) a rut drinking the “waiting for years” Claire Thomson same old wines” for a book of bakes has a “quirky, and not quite and desserts from accessible voice knowing what food Ottolenghi, says that draws you goes best with what, this is the perfect Diana Henry. Co-written with one of his into her recipes”, says Tim Hayward in book for you, says Henry Jeffreys in The talented chefs, Sweet is “worth the wait. the FT. But behind that lies the “mind of Guardian. Its self-explanatory subtitle is I squealed when my copy arrived.” There’s a classically trained chef applying herself to “An A-Z of suggestions for happy eating so much in here that’s “unusual and the fundamentals of the store cupboard”. and drinking”. It is a reference book, but it seductive”: kaffir lime posset with papaya; There have been any number of books of is “worth dipping into for pure pleasure”, custard yo-yos with roasted rhubarb icing; recipes using the contents of your store because Victoria Moore – The Daily yogurt and juniper berry ice cream; Middle cupboard or freezer in recent years. This is Telegraph’s wine writer – has a “such Eastern millionaire’s shortbread (with the one that “might genuinely change the a gift for putting flavours into words”. tahini caramel). “I mean, where to begin?” way you cook”.

Order these titles from The Week Bookshop at the bracketed price (orders over £20 incl p&p): 020-3176 3835, www.theweek.co.uk/bookshop

16 December 2017 THE WEEK BEDS, SOFAS AND FURNITURE FOR LOAFERS LOAF.COM BATTERSEA NOTTING HILL SPITALFIELDS Consumer LEISURE 43

The best… Christmas gifts for children

▲ Lego Women of Nasa These sets celecelebrate four female pioneers at NasNasa in builds that include the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer (£20; shop.lego.com). ▲ Janod Accordion Suitable for children aged from three years, this has a surprisingly good soundnd (£34;(£34; en.smallable.com).en.smallable.com). ▲ CatCa Money Box A hand-and- ▲ World Map paintedpainte ceramic moneybo box,x, Backpack Made from whichwhi also comes in grey cotton and nylon, this bag has a or blackbla and white (£33; comfortable padded back (£13; www.hannahturner.co.uk).www k). www.dotcomgiftshop.com).

▲ OperationOpe Dinosaurs In this twist on the classic board game, players have to excavate a T-rex fossil (£22; www.nhmshop.co.uk).

▲ Timex x Peanuts Watch From ▲ SheepersSheepers SlippersSlippers Timex’s Peanuts range, which also AvailableAva in a range of colours, has Linus, Snoopy, Woodstock and thesese slippers are handmade RDIAN Lucy designs (£60; www.timex.co.uk).

fromfro sheepskinheepskin and wool ol (£1(£17;7; GUA www.sheepers.co.uk). RVER/THE GUA ▲ Rio Roller Figure Skates Made from PVC leather, these skates have comfort insoles – and claim to offer heel support (£70;

www.skinnydiplondon.com). ▲ Pixel Kit

▲ This teaches Djeco Pirate children how Shelves Pirate to code by ship-shaped, these setting them shelves are 54cm challenges – to

high and 52cm make lights flash, THE TIMES/THE SUNDAY TIMES/THE OBSERVER wide (£43; www. say, or to create a game (£75; kano.me). alexandalexa.com). SOURCES: THE THE TIMES/THE SUNDAY TIMES/THE OBSERVER/THE GUARDIAN

Tips of the week..week... how to And for those who WWhere to find... presents looklook afterafter y yourour b backa have everything… you don’t have to wrap

Osteopath Nick Potter offers his advice on Pottery classes at Turning Earth, a hugely how to avoid back pain popular ceramics centre in east London, ● If you wear bifocals and spend time are £190 for eight weeks (e10.turningearth. looking at a screen every day, the glasses uk). Another good option is Manchester’s could throw your posture. You’d do better Clay Studio, where six-week courses start to get a cheap pair of the near vision lenses at £90 (www.claystudio.co.uk). for computer work to keep at your desk. Reading subscriptions, from Mr B’s ● Don’t cross your legs while you’re sitting Emporium in Bath, are tailored to your at your desk. tastes: before you receive your first book you have to answer a series of questions ● When you’re making a call, avoid for their “bibliotherapists” (from £45 for trapping the telephone under your chin. three months; www.mrbsemporium.com). ● A backpack will be friendlier to your back Butchery courses at “London’s than other kinds of bag. Wear it high up favourite butcher”, Ginger Pig. “Choose your body and carry as little as possible your poison” – pork, say, or beef – and – no more than 15% of your body weight. Boasting 16 different lenses, the Light L16 their butchers will tell you where you can ● Try not to sleep on your front: it’s bad for is a compact digital camera (it’s 2.4cm find the top cuts and how best to cook both your neck and lower back. thick and weighs 435g) that takes more them (£155 for three-and-a-half hours; ● www.thegingerpig.co.uk). Down-filled pillows don’t give your neck than ten images at once – then combines much support, because they pack down them into a DSLR-quality, 52 megapixel Tarot readings from Lady Lilac, “the over the course of the night. Get a pillow fashion industry’s go-to psychic”. She’s made from latex foam – it should offer lots photo. Available to pre-order, it will be based in London – but also offers Skype of support while being soft enough to dispatched in the new year. consultations (from £40 for 40 minutes; contour to the shape of your head. £1,850; uk.light.co www.ladylilac.co.uk). SOURCE: THE TIMES SOURCE: FINANCIAL TIMES SOURCE: THE SUNDAY TIMES

16 December 2017 THE WEEK

Travel LEISURE 45

This week’s dream: an epic road trip through Chile From the Atacama Desert in the north Flamingoes and russet-coloured vicuña to the tundra of the south, Chile is (smaller cousins of the llama) teem roughly as long as the continental US is across the “breathtaking” lakes and wide, and encompasses a dazzling range marshland all around. Southwards, of landscapes and ecosystems. Most across the Atacama, the coast is dotted tourists fly in to see three or four of with beach resorts and, between the most famous bits – but to get the them, the islands of the Pingüino de measure of the country’s vast distances Humboldt National Reserve, each of and immense diversity, nothing beats them a “whirl” of leaping dolphins, a road trip, says Chris Moss in The slumbering sea lions and waddling Sunday Telegraph. Of course, there Humboldt penguins. are “workaday” stretches – you might The next stop is the green and skip the capital, Santiago, and fly over “beguiling” Elqui Valley, followed by the 600-mile-deep belt of intensive the pretty port of Valparaíso, among agricultural land and “modern-looking” whose steep streets of brightly painted conurbations to its south. That still buildings sits the poet Pablo Neruda’s leaves more than 2,000 miles, however, The Atacama Desert: a dazzling range of landscapes former house, now a museum. Skipping through which to plot a route. Santiago, you reach the temperate The “likeable” port of Arica, near the Peruvian border, has a rainforests and towering volcanoes of the Lake District. Beyond, splendid cathedral designed by Gustave Eiffel. Driving inland, unfurling towards the Antarctic, lies Patagonia, with its serried past barren mountains, you reach Codpa, an oasis of prickly pear, peaks and immense glaciers – a region as “strange and beautiful” plums and muscatel grapes with a “quaint” 17th century church – as any on Earth. Audley Travel (01993-838000, www.audley the first of several you pass en route to the volcano of Lauca. travel.com) has a 13-night trip from £5,800pp, including flights.

Holiday let of the week Getting the flavour of… A wild beach in South Africa “unwashed socks”) and pig’s blood cake at Somewhere on Earth there might be a more the “bustling” Raohe night market might beautiful beach than Keurboomstrand, but defeat you, but there are plenty of other tasty I have yet to find it, says Vanessa Raphaely and inexpensive morsels to try on every street in The Guardian. Just east of Plettenberg Bay corner. Mainstream options include gua bao (“South Africa’s answer to the Hamptons”) (a hamburger made with pork belly, pickled on the Western Cape, it feels “lost in time” cabbage and powdered peanuts), xiao long – wild, and “seemingly endless”. Bryde’s bao (dumplings filled with meaty soup), and whales and pods of dolphins make regular the ubiquitous bubble tea (cool milky tea full appearances, and humpback whales visit in of “rubbery” tapioca balls). British Airways winter. Swimming is impossible owing to a (www.ba.com) has flights from £610 return. Loma Beach House, Rye, notorious rip current, but the lagoon behind East Sussex is “as warm as any in the Caribbean”. France’s new tank museum Take a boat tour upriver to Whiskey Creek On 20 November 1917, at the Battle of This 1950s house has been to leap into copper-coloured water from Cambrai, the first great tank attack in history transformed, by former fashion stylist Gigi Sutherland and partner rocky cliffs. Visit the “bijou” Plettenberg Bay began, when the British drove 476 Mark IV Matt Sellers, into a stylish, Game Reserve, home to lions, elephants and vehicles through the German line. The eco-friendly, “Scandi-inspired” wildebeest. And dine at Ristorante Enrico, onslaught ultimately failed and all were hideaway, says Condé Nast for fresh seafood and “jaw-dropping” views destroyed. All, that is, but one, says Anthony Traveller. Cowhides soften of the bay. The “relaxed” Plett River Lodge Peregrine in The Daily Telegraph. Used as polished concrete floors in the (00 27 44 533 5843, www.plettriverlodge. landfill nearby and rediscovered in 1998 by open-plan living space, and there’s com) has doubles from £62. a local historian, Deborah (as the tank was an “industrial-looking” kitchen, christened) now sits at the heart of the new but plenty of antique treasures Foodie heaven in Taiwan Cambrai Tank 1917 museum, which opens elsewhere. Out on the decking sits a pizza oven, and over the dunes Taipei gets few British tourists, but new to the public in March in the village of beyond lies Camber Sands. Eat out direct flights from Gatwick should help Flesquières. The result of “extraordinary” at “gastro-bistro” The Gallivant in attract more. If one of the world’s finest efforts by enthusiasts, the s1m museum will nearby Camber, and head east for museums of Chinese art doesn’t tempt you, focus on the Battle of Cambrai and on tank Dungeness (where the Fish Hut nor the glorious forested mountains all warfare in general, but is worth a visit simply does great seafood baps), or west around, then think of the food, says Will to see this “strangely defiant” old machine for pretty, medieval Rye. Hide in The Times. For fans of Chinese and learn the moving story of its crew. Visit Sleeps 14, from £450 per night. cuisine, the Taiwanese capital is a supreme www.tourisme-cambresis.fr for more www.loma.co. treat. True, the stinky tofu (which smells of information.

Last-minute offers from top travel companies Luxury boathouse retreat Discover remote Bhutan Niagara Falls & New York Seven nights in Cancún Take in breathtaking views of Explore a Himalayan kingdom Spend 3 nights at the Sheraton An all-inclusive stay at the Windermere with a 2-night on this full-board, 7-day tour, on the Falls and 3 nights at Krystal Cancun Hotel, on the b&b boathouse stay in the which offers beauty, history the Conrad New York from beach of Boulevard Kukulcán, grounds of Storrs Hall hotel, and adventure, from £1,696pp £799pp room only (London costs from £1,081pp, incl. from £550pp. 01905-792801, (excl. flights). 0808-274 5111, flights incl.). 020-3023 7776, Birmingham flights. 020-3897 www.greatlittlebreaks.com. www.intrepidtravel.com. www.affordableluxurytravel. 1185, www.loveholidays.com. Arrive 14 February. Depart 20 April. co.uk. Depart 25 January. Depart 5 February.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK

Obituaries 47 The last survivor of the Profumo affair

Christine Keeler, who has she had no “conversation”, he was kind to Christine died aged 75, was a 19-year- her – for which she was pathetically grateful. Keeler old showgirl when she slept Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet intelligence officer 1942-2017 with John Profumo – the anxious to get information on Profumo, also 46-year-old Secretary of State for War – knew Ward and had been to Cliveden. At some triggering the biggest political scandal of the point, Keeler also had an affair with him. 20th century. Profumo lost his job over the lies he told in Parliament, but with a supportive Although MI5 had been briefed on Ward and wife, a wide circle of friends and a private his circle, these entanglements might never have income, he was able to redeem himself in the become public knowledge had Ward not taken eyes of the public by devoting himself to good Keeler to a squalid café in Notting Hill to meet works in the East End, said Tanya Gold in The Aloysius “Lucky” Gordon, a jazz musician and Guardian. By the time of his death, he’d been minor drug dealer. Gordon became obsessed made CBE and had come to be regarded as an with her and then jealous of another of her almost saintly fi gure. For Keeler, the taint of lovers, Johnny Edgecombe, who ended up scandal was rather harder to shed. slashing Gordon with a knife. When Keeler threatened to testify against Edgecombe, he Branded a “tart” by the then Prime Minister, turned up outside Ward’s house, where she Harold Macmillan, and a “vice queen” by the was staying with her friend and fellow showgirl press, she struggled to get work. Her marriages Mandy Rice-Davies, and tried to shoot his way failed (men, she said, regarded her as a “sexual “All the blame and all the shame” in. In the police investigation that followed, scalp”) and, while she lived quietly under a new Profumo and Ivanov’s names came up. name, she still remained a subject of fascination – which she Rumours swirled. Eventually, an MP used parliamentary privilege sometimes indulged, partly out of a desire to tell her side of the to raise the issue and its security implications. In April 1963, story, but also to make money. Latterly the tabloids had taken to Profumo denied that any “impropriety” had taken place. Ten cruelly juxtaposing the famous image of her naked astride a chair weeks later, with Keeler talking to the press, he admitted he’d lied with snaps of her outside her council fl at, looking overweight and and resigned. Three days after that, Ward was charged with living careworn. “I [got] all the blame and all the shame,” she observed. off immoral earnings (though neither Keeler nor Rice-Davies were “I took on the sins of everybody, of a generation, really…” prostitutes). Abandoned by his society friends, he killed himself at the end of his trial. Keeler was charged with perjury, for testifying Born in Uxbridge, Keeler left school at 15 and was pregnant falsely in a separate trial that Gordon had assaulted her (she’d at 17. The baby died days after birth. After that, she moved to been scared of him, but it seems he’d not attacked her, at least on London to work, fi rst as a waitress, then as a dancer in Soho. that occasion). She was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. She was performing at Murray’s Cabaret Club when she was befriended by Stephen Ward, a louche society osteopath, said On her release, she largely disappeared from public view. There The Times. He had no interest in her sexually, but he liked being were two short marriages that produced two sons. She worked in able to introduce attractive, sexually available working-class girls a drycleaners and as a dinner lady, but was fi red when the school to his rich friends. So it was that in July 1961, he invited Keeler discovered her identity. Single for years, Keeler – the scandal’s last to join him for a weekend at the cottage on the Cliveden estate survivor – said she could barely remember the affair that had that he rented from Bill Astor, one of his clients. She was come to define her. “It seems incredible, looking back, it could emerging naked from the pool when Profumo, Astor’s guest, have resulted in so much tragedy and damage,” she said. “All saw her. They had a brief affair and, though Profumo later said that Swinging Sixties stuff. It didn’t do anyone any good, did it?” The rock star adored in France, but little known elsewhere Johnny Hallyday, who has he saw an Elvis Presley film – which changed Johnny died aged 74, was France’s everything. “His voice, the way he moved, Hallyday greatest rock star. Held in everything was sexy,” he recalled. “I was 1943-2017 huge public affection, he sold paralysed.” He began singing American rock 110 million records in a career that lasted five at clubs in Paris, cut his first album in 1960, and decades. Yet the appeal of the “French Elvis” in 1961 had his first big hit, the Chubby Checker did not extend beyond the French-speaking cover Viens Danser le Twist. Scores more followed. world. His hits – C’est Le Mashed Potatoes; His music was derivative (a musical chameleon, he Laissez-Nous Twister; Quelque chose de covered songs by everyone from Prince to The Tennessee – rarely troubled the charts Beatles), but he had huge stage presence and elsewhere. And when he performed in Las won plaudits for some serious acting roles too. Vegas for the only time, in 1996, the hall In France his life – his marriages and many was filled with thousands of French fans, affairs (mainly with models, some very young), who’d flown out to support him. his cocaine use and fast cars – became a national preoccupation, said The Daily Telegraph. Even Jean-Philippe Smet was born in Nazi-occupied the intelligentsia were fascinated by him. “Who are Paris in 1943. His mother, a model, and his A musical chameleon you, M Hallyday?” asked a news magazine on his father, a circus performer, split up soon after he 50th birthday. “A reincarnation of James Dean? A was born, and he was raised by an aunt, a former actress. She Great Gatsby? A tragic hero?… You are all of these and more.” managed her two daughters’ dancing careers and he became their onstage mascot, singing during their costume changes. His aunt’s In France he was revered as a national treasure. Yet it was American husband called him Johnny and he took their stage perhaps his misfortune to have been born French. “French lyrics name, Halliday, which was later misspelled by his record label are too unwieldy for rock,” he once admitted. “Our words are as Hallyday. As a boy, he found work as an actor; then, at 14, too long... You just can’t sing rock’n’roll in French.”

16 December 2017 THE WEEK

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Apple/Shazam: in the groove The “music discovery” app Shazam is one of the most popular of all time, said Arun Kakar in Management Today. “In a shop and a tune catches your ear? Pop open Shazam and it’ll name the track, complete with background information and streaming options.” No wonder it’s been “downloaded over a billion times”: it’s a must-have for forgetful pop-pickers and aspirant musos alike. Still, it’s puzzling that Apple thinks buying the British firm for $400m – a move announced this week – is a good commercial move. Seven days in the It’s free, so dependent on commission from “click-throughs and branding”. Revenues Square Mile haven’t been going great guns, explaining why Shazam’s former $1bn valuation has been slashed by more than half. The real reason for the buyout is strategic. Apple Music’s Wholesale gas prices in Britain rose to main streaming rival, Spotify, is “grooving to the tune of an IPO” that will boost its their highest level since 2013 following momentum; Shazam is “a logical next step to get more people on Apple’s dance floor” a “perfect storm” of cold weather, an explosion at a gas plant in Austria, first. The competition is hotting up globally, said Jon Russell on TechCrunch. Spotify’s and the closure of the Forties pipeline new dancing partner is China’s Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) and the relationship in the North Sea after a crack in it was is close – the pair are buying minority stakes in each other. Tencent, TME’s parent discovered. The pipeline closure company, has just been crowned Asia’s first $500bn company. Not one to mess with. affected Brent crude prices, which shot to two-year highs above $65/barrel. GVC/Ladbrokes Coral: £3.9bn Christmas bet The RAC said drivers could be paying The online gambling group GVC is hoping it’s a case of third time lucky, said the FT. an extra 3p for fuel by Christmas as a After two failed attempts in a year, it has reopened takeover talks with Britain’s biggest result. The US Fed chair, Janet Yellen, bookie, Ladbrokes Coral, to “create one of the world’s largest betting companies” – a who steps down in early 2018, made a valedictory appearance at the Fed’s final move likely to spark another round of dealmaking in the sector. The atmosphere in the meeting of the year. Traders were fully industry, which is awaiting the results of a UK government review into “ultra-addictive primed for another interest rate increase. betting machines”, is tense. Rivals, including William Hill, Paddy Power, 888 and Rank Her legacy is the slow unwinding of her Group, have been drawing up acquisition plans, but have held off executing them ahead predecessor’s emergency measures to of potentially disruptive new rules. GVC’s “haste” to bet £3.9bn on Ladbrokes – which combat the 2008 financial crisis. makes more money on fixed-odds betting terminals than anything else – suggests it Shadow chancellor John McDonnell doesn’t expect “a severe crackdown”. What a force in gambling GVC’s Kenny Alexander indicated that Labour might consider has become, said Alistair Osborne in The Times. Five years ago, his outfit was a £100m moving parts of the Bank of England AIM “tiddler”, focused on “taking bets in dodgier, unregulated” international markets. to Birmingham to create an economic Yet Alexander used the proceeds “to buy better businesses in regulated ones”, snapping policy “hub” in the regions, after more up brands including Sportingbet and Bwin. Thanks to this audacious acquisition spree, than three centuries in the City. betting’s brashest newcomer is “on the brink of leading a FTSE 100 group”. Australia’s central bank said it was weighing the pros and cons of Supermarket sweepstakes: Marks & Sainsbury’s? introducing an electronic form of the Ten years ago, the retail industry was “alive with fevered speculation” about a possible Australian dollar – an eAUD – alongside traditional banknotes. Westfield, the merger between M&S and J. Sainsbury, said Ben Marlow in The Sunday Telegraph. Australian developer behind shopping The combo would have united two of the high street’s most venerable names and given centres in London and New York, Tesco a run for its money, but the bosses of the two companies couldn’t agree who’d agreed to be acquired by France’s lead the new one, so talks ended. Could this deal be revisited? Senior retailers think that Unibail-Rodamco for $24.7bn; the deal “anything is possible” after 2017 became the high street’s “annus horribilis”. Marks & creates the world’s second-biggest mall Sainsbury’s is just one potential outcome. “Could Next and Morrisons suddenly seem owner by market value. Sports Direct like potential bedfellows? Will someone put Asda out of its misery?” The permutations shareholders vetoed founder Mike are endless – fantasy deals “are back on” the table. Ashley’s plan to pay his brother £11m.

Fox/Disney: “the final act” for the Murdoch dynasty? After 50 years of dealmaking, Rupert Whether he joins “the mouse house” or Murdoch seems to have decided “it’s time to starts his own venture, “the Murdoch family cash in and give up on a long-held ambition is parting professional ways”. Rupert, 86, to hand his empire on to his children”, said and his elder son, Lachlan, will continue The Observer. The deal to sell 21st Century overseeing the remaining Fox businesses Fox to its old rival Walt Disney for around (including the “polarising” Fox News $60bn is back on, after a month of on/off talks. channel), and also the separate News Corp And reports suggest it’s a pretty thorough newspaper business. clean-out of the crown jewels. Fox will divest its film studio, TV channels (including FX) and US media-watchers are divided about the its stake in Sky, and international subsidiaries possibility of a Murdoch leading Disney. “The like the “fast-growing” Star India business. Murdochs have been very adept at creating There are even rumours that James Murdoch value for shareholders over the long term,” might emerge as Disney chief executive. Talk Richard Miller of Gullane Capital Partners, about “a big budget finale to the family saga”. Family saga: Lachlan, Rupert and James told Bloomberg. “On the other hand, some of the more tabloid things [they’ve] done give Call it “the son of the empire strikes back”, said Matthew one pause.” In fact, plenty of investors hope that, if the deal goes Garrahan in the Financial Times. “For most of his adult life, through, Disney’s seasoned boss, Robert Iger, will “extend his James Murdoch has worked for companies controlled by his reign” to bed it in, said The New York Times. Rupert Murdoch father”, but at last he “seems set to leave the family fold”. himself reportedly wants Iger to stay on. Nice one, Dad.

16 December 2017 THE WEEK Slack is where work happens in businesses all across the UK. It takes the hardest part of all our jobs — communication — and makes it simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.

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Issue of the week: bitcoin lands on Wall Street Will the arrival of bitcoin futures calm the cryptocurrency’s frenzied ascent or pour more oil on the fire? After another rollercoaster week, when leverage and borrowed money and the price of bitcoin jumped 40% to hit thus create the possibility of losses $19,000 at one point, the chairman of rebounding throughout the system”. Royal Bank of Scotland, Sir Howard For now, “there is limited cause for Davies, invoked Dante’s Inferno, said worry”, said the FT. If bitcoin crashed Richard Partington in The Guardian. to zero, “a lot of paper wealth” would Calling on global regulators to launch disappear. “But bitcoin is not a bank. It “a coordinated warning against the is not highly leveraged, and it seems to digital currency”, Davies said that the have been used as collateral in only a sign “Abandon hope all ye who enter limited number of cases.” Of course, here” would just about do it. Yet there that might change if its valuation gets was no sign of the exuberance easing much higher. But even Wall Street when the first bitcoin futures products banks are encouraging regulators to launched on Cboe Global Markets in review bitcoin futures carefully. Chicago this week. Trading had to be halted twice after early price surges and “Abandon hope all ye who enter here” What exactly are these investors Cboe’s inundated website crashed. betting on, asked Jim Armitage in the London Evening Standard. “I’m not about to argue that bitcoin “The launch of futures on a regulated exchange is a watershed for is worth its present value” – (just over $17,000 on Wednesday) bitcoin,” making it easier for mainstream investors to bet on the – “but it is of substantial value.” Bitcoin and other blockchain cryptocurrency, said Bloomberg. Proponents reckon the contracts currencies like ethereum and monero won’t replace the dollar will “increase market transparency and boost liquidity”, but, with or sterling, but the “robust” technology behind them makes them similar offerings already in the pipeline from CME Group and valuable. “The trick for investors is working out how valuable.” Nasdaq, some fear they may stoke the frenzy. And make it much Investment funds have been hiring the biggest brains from Google more dangerous too, said The Observer. Bitcoin’s arrival in the and Facebook to analyse the question. According to Hedge Fund mainstream financial world “changes the game, and potentially Alert, there are already 15 cryptocurrency funds, with 25 more makes it seriously messy”. Up to now, who – except bitcoin raising money now. A new financial industry is growing up. speculators with only themselves to blame – would care if the “Bitcoin may be a bubble, but its technology is here to stay. bubble burst? Yet derivatives offer “the opportunity to bet with Investors should embrace, not hide from it.”

Making money: what the experts think Christmas books II ● Golden slumbers has risen in 27 of the past 33 Decembers by Warner Bros: The Making of an Online searches about American Movie Studio by David buying bitcoin now far a hearty average of Thomson (Yale). With the power of outstrip those about 2.5%. Having been the great studios “crumbling under the investing in gold, said partying for most of attentions of Netflix”, what better time James Connington in the year already, does for “the grand poobah of film history” The Daily Telegraph. Santa have the stamina to release a study of the brothers The search term for a final flourish? “whose big-screen fantasies shaped There are lots of the whole shooting match”, says Danny “buy bitcoin” first Leigh in the FT. surpassed “buy gold” theories why he might: from the psychological in May, and has been Till Time’s Last Sand: A History of the multiplying ever Rallying stocks in December? (“an abundance of Bank of England 1694-2013 by David since. According to goodwill cheer” Kynaston (Bloomsbury). This “richly the search stats, appetite for bitcoin is now tends to encourage more buying), to the entertaining history” is one of the best “three times higher” than interest in gold technical (fund managers often “rebalance business books of the year, “by a long was at the peak of the banking crisis when their portfolios” as the year closes, while chalk”, says Martin Vander Weyer in investors, who traditionally flock to the hedge funds close out short positions that The Spectator. haven’t played out as expected). precious metal in times of panic, “feared a The One Device: The Secret History of full-blown collapse of the financial system”. the iPhone by Brian Merchant (Bantam). For all the doomy warnings about bitcoin, ● Bah humbug As well as exploring the history of the there’s no such rush on now. In fact, the A more accurate expression for that is smartphone’s design – revealing much gold price, at around $1,241/ounce, is way “window-dressing”, said Ian Cowie in about Apple’s culture under Steve Jobs down from its September peak this year. The Sunday Times: fund managers rush – Merchant “literally takes the device BullionVault reports that “new investors to buy this year’s top-performing stocks, apart”, tracing components back to are drying up – possibly drawn by the buzz “so that they can boast of holding winners their (sometimes dubious) sources, around cryptocurrencies”. Existing holders in their portfolios”. Reinvested Christmas with “exhilarating thoroughness”. of gold, it’s worth noting, are “increasing bonuses also provide an extra welly at the Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and their holdings”. end of the month, when the Santa rally is Lasting Change by Ellen Pao (Penguin traditionally at its strongest. This year, Random House). This memoir from ● Santa baby who knows? The FTSE 100 looks to have Pao, a former Kleiner Perkins venture The seasonal gift that traditionally “brings caught the Christmas spirit this week, so capitalist, lifts the lid on the high- cheer to the investment markets” is the the omens are promising. But that doesn’t profile sexual harassment lawsuit she “Santa rally”, said Katherine Denham in mean the pattern will be repeated, said launched – and lost – against the firm, City AM. It’s no myth. Surging December Schroders’ James Rainbow in City AM: says Jessica Stillman on Inc.com. stock prices often deliver the biggest “Stockmarket superstitions are true until “Required reading for anyone in tech,” says Mashable.com. monthly gains of the year: the FTSE 100 they fail to be.”

16 December 2017 THE WEEK 54 CITY Commentators

“Mark Carney nearly scraped through,” says Tim Wallace. The Bank of England governor “came so close to keeping inflation City profiles Carney gets on target”, but after two months teetering at the 3% level, “the consumer price index has finally tipped over the edge”. The new James Henderson out his Three months after Bell 3.1% figure for November means he’ll now have to “write a letter Pottinger went belly up fountain pen to the Chancellor explaining what went wrong”. The Bank isn’t “following a scandal over its really to blame: most of the rise in inflation is the result of the race-hate-charged work in Tim Wallace weak pound pushing up import costs. In fact, this should be “the South Africa”, the PR firm’s easiest letter in the world”, according to economist Robert Wood boss, James Henderson, “is The Daily Telegraph at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “It could go something like back plying his trade”, this: ‘Dear Mr Hammond, please see the impact of Brexit on says The Sunday Times. sterling.’” Economists had expected inflation to peak around Henderson, 52, who “has now, as the impact of the pound’s fall fades. Yet “new pressures”, kept a low profile as rivals have picked over the carcass notably rising energy costs, are starting to emerge. Even so, with of Bell Pottinger” is working wage growth so weak in Britain, most think inflation is heading for four or five clients, down. Carney leaves the Bank in 2019. He’ll be hoping this is according to a source close “the last letter” to the Chancellor he has to write. to the action. He has “dusted himself off and started all “Can trade deals be fashionable?” The agreement struck between over again”. There’s a lot of the EU and Canada last year, known as Ceta, “certainly seems to ground to make up. Before Britain needs be in vogue”, say Jim Brunsden and Mehreen Khan. Once its downfall, Bell Pottinger “vilified” by anti-globalisation activists, it has become “the key represented half-a-dozen Ceta plus FTSE 100 clients, and reference point for the upcoming Brexit talks”, with both sides Henderson has personal plus plus… extolling the merits of a “plus” or “plus plus” version. But what difficulties to resolve as well. would such a deal mean for Britain? Trade policy experts note His wedding to socialite Jim Brunsden & Mehreen that while free-trade agreements like Ceta are “very effective at Heather Kerzner “was opening up the EU market to imports of foreign goods”, they’re shelved as his net worth Khan “much less effective” when it comes to services; it offers “no new disintegrated”. As a big access” for Canada on this front. That’s highly relevant for the shareholder, she “lost a Financial Times UK, which enjoyed a £14bn trade surplus in services with the EU bundle too”. last year, “fuelled by the strength of the City”, and our prowess in legal and tax advice. Ceta mentions “the crucial issue” of agreeing Christo Wiese mutually recognised regulatory standards for such services – but only in the sense of agreeing future talks. “The UK is going to need a ‘plus plus plus plus’ version of the deal to get round that problem, and there is no guarantee that the EU will offer it.”

British Airways has spent much of the year “winding up the passengers”, says Alistair Osborne. As well as grounding 75,000 Has British of them in May after a technical cock-up, the airline has axed free food on short-haul flights and flowers in first-class lavatories. Airways tamed Now it is moving on to baiting its workers, by closing “future accrual” in the larger of two final-salary pension plans – meaning its unions? members can no longer clock up “guaranteed” retirement pots, based on their salary and length of service. BA is hardly breaking Alistair Osborne new ground here, most FTSE 100 companies have taken similar The Times measures, and the pension plan has been closed to new members Known for the “deal-making since 2003. Still, BA’s unions seemed resigned to the move, which sangfroid” that made him was surprising. “Back in the day”, even a pugnacious CEO like “one of the richest men in Willie Walsh “wouldn’t have dared close the scheme for fear of a South Africa” retail magnate strike”. Neither Unite nor the pilots’ union, Balpa, have ruled out Christo Wiese is badly in the wars, says the FT. Steinhoff, possible industrial reaction, but their tone was “a big contrast to the company he helped union reaction to Royal Mail’s pension changes”. A sign, perhaps, build, is embroiled in a “of the growing acceptance that it’s unjust to have some staff massive accounting scandal doing the same job on better-class pensions than their colleagues”. and Wiese, its largest shareholder, is working You don’t have to be “a full-blooded believer” in the “special all-out to prevent the relationship” to recognise “the profound importance of the “byzantine” German-South We can’t US to the health of our economy, national security and living African conglomerate from standards”, says Alex Brummer. Yet, predictably, critics on the collapsing. Long thought to afford to have the “Midas touch”, Left are “frothing” at the prospect of a visit from President Wiese, 76, parlayed his Trump, and planning mass protests if and when he comes. Many family’s store business into a ban Trump of Trump’s views are “objectionable”, but “it would be an act of retail juggernaut. With self-harm, indeed insanity, to reject a visit because of a few of this Alex Brummer investors now questioning narcissist’s ill-judged comments and indiscretions”. You may not Steinhoff’s “debt-fuelled” expansion, one of his Daily Mail care for the man, but Trump is the elected president of the United States, and “we as a nation have a duty to respect his status” catchphrases – “I do not get – all the more so given the growing “significance” of Britain’s involved in businesses I do relationship with America as we look to strike new trade deal not control” – has come back to haunt him. His net worth, post-Brexit. “The remaining 27 countries of the EU may, together, put at more than $5bn at the continue to be our biggest trading partner, but we should not start of year, “has halved ignore the fact that our largest single market is the US.” Picking since the scandal broke”. a fight with its leader could prove “ruinous” for British prospects.

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Who’s tipping what

The week’s best buys Directors’ dealings Babcock International Dixons Carphone Legal & General Topps Tiles The Daily Telegraph The Times The Times Outsourcers face plenty of Shares in the smartphone and The insurer’s core pensions political headwinds, but this appliances retailer dived in annuity business is “humming” 90 defence contractor provides August, on a profit warning. and it is diversifying into skills that are in short supply. However, the valuation is equity release mortgages. It is There’s a fat order book and “cheap as chips” and the 6.3% expanding overseas with strong 80 long-term contracts are being yield is “handsomely covered”. US growth, and regulation may 2 directors extended. Shares are cheap and Buy. 161p. soften in the sector. Buy. 259p. 70 buy 340,000 it yields 4.3%. Buy. £6.87. Impax Asset Management Numis Corp Consort Medical Investors Chronicle The Times 60 Investors Chronicle Record net inflows of £2.1bn Numis has reported Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec The respiratory medical devices have helped push Impax’s record revenues, with equity maker “ticks along nicely” and assets under management up fundraisings and trading After a torrid year ending with a 15% plunge in profits, sales will be boosted by the launch by 61%. Shares have trebled volumes well ahead. The in the tile specialist are up. of the generic version of the in a year, but the momentum investment bank has a solid CEO Matt Williams has shown asthma drug Advair. There are continues and the global pipeline of visible business and his faith by spending north of “high hopes” for Consort’s balance has improved with is well set for growth, despite £192,000 on 300,000 shares. planned 2020 launch of a promising American deal. looming regulatory challenges. Finance director Rob Parker auto-injectors. Buy. £11.57. Buy. 158p. Buy. 309p. added 40,000, for £25,600. SOURCE: INVESTORS CHRONICLE

…and some to hold, avoid or sell Form guide

AstraZeneca Greene King Saga Shares tipped 12 weeks ago The Times The Daily Telegraph The Times Best tip AstraZeneca works with the Inflation and competition Shares in the cruise travel and McBride NHS and Government to have brought the pub group insurance fi rm plunged 21% Investors Chronicle identify gaps in the market a “perfect storm”. There after a profit warning on fears up 15.13% to 224.5p and develop new drugs. The have been six consecutive of softening car and home pharma’s focus on oncology is downgrade forecasts and no insurance, and rising costs. Yet Worst tip high-risk, and performance has sign of a growth catalyst. there are £10m of cost savings Next Fifteen Communications been turbulent. Yields 4.42%. Shares are now cheap and identified and it yields 6.7%. The Mail on Sunday down 9.44% to 379p Hold. £47.84. yield 6.2%. Hold. 524p. Hold. 135p.

Findel Redcentric WYG Investors Chronicle Investors Chronicle Investors Chronicle Market view Shares in the retailer jumped Improvements have been made The engineering consultant on news of better-than- since the IT services provider’s company’s profits have been “Bitcoin is only an absurd appendage to what is expected growth and profits, accounting blunder, with a hit by reduced volumes of already ‘a bubble in bolstered by improved margins new fi nance team that has cut work and delays. Management everything’.” in its gifts and education costs and alleviated debt. Yet expects a turnaround in John Authers in the businesses. But consistency of revenue forecasts are stagnant business, but things could get Financial Times progress remains questionable. and the market is competitive. worse before they get better. Hold. 200p. Hold. 85p. Sell. 39p. Market summary

KeyKey numbers for investors BestBest and and worst performing shares Following the Footsie 12 Dec 2017 Week before Change (%) WEEK’S CHANGE, FTSE 100 STOCKS FTSE 100 7500.41 7327.50 2.36% RISES Price % change FTSE All-share UK 4114.09 4031.05 2.06% Berkeley Group Hdg. 4100.00 +5.43 Dow Jones 24524.58 24267.39 1.06% Reckitt Benckiser Grp. 6763.00 +5.36 7,500 NASDAQ 6882.31 6813.16 1.01% Ashtead Group 2060.00 +5.26 Nikkei 225 22866.17 22622.38 1.08% Barclays 200.60 +4.64 Hang Seng 28793.88 28842.80 –0.17% Pearson 748.00 +4.54 7,400 Gold 1240.90 1266.30 –2.01% FALLS Brent Crude Oil 63.53 63.07 0.73% Morrison (WM) Spmkts. 211.50 –3.34 DIVIDEND YIELD (FTSE 100) 3.86% 3.95% Intertek Group 5030.00 –3.08 UK 10-year gilts yield 1.26 1.29 Ferguson 5265.00 –2.86 7,300 US 10-year Treasuries 2.42 2.37 Hammerson 522.00 –2.34 UK ECONOMIC DATA Centrica 144.80 –1.96 Latest CPI (yoy) 3.1% (Nov) 3.0% (Oct) BEST AND WORST UK STOCKS OVERALL Latest RPI (yoy) 3.9% (Nov) 4.0% (Oct) 7,200 Valirx 6.87 +257.14 Halifax house price (yoy) +3.9% (Nov) +5.2% (Oct) Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Uranium Resources 0.15 –64.71 6-month movement in the FTSE 100 index £1 STERLING $1.335 E1.136 ¥151.350 Source: Datastream (not adjusted for dividends). Prices on 12 Dec (pm)

16 December 2017 THE WEEK

60 The last word How management-speak invaded the workplace When did executive idea sherpas get their ducks in a row and self-actualise corporate jargon, and what’s the outlook going forward? André Spicer looks at the history of management-speak

In early 1984, executives sound quite sensible when at the American telephone compared to “ideation”, company Pacific Bell made “imagineering”, and a fateful decision. They “inboxing” – the sort of were worried that Pacific management-speak used Bell didn’t have the right to talk about everything culture, that employees from educating children were not sufficiently to running nuclear power entrepreneurial. So they plants. This language has turned to a well-known become a kind of organisational development organisational lingua specialist, Charles Krone, franca, used by middle who set about designing managers in the same a management-training way that Freemasons programme to transform use secret handshakes the way people thought, – to indicate their talked and behaved. membership and status. It echoes across The “Kroning” programme the cubicled landscape. was based on the ideas of It seems to be everywhere, the 20th century Russian and refers to anything mystic George Gurdjieff, Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times (1936): a cog in the managerial machine and nothing. The kind of who believed that most of bullshit through which we us spend our days mired in “waking sleep”, and that it is only all have to wade is a remarkably recent creation. To understand by shedding ingrained habits of thinking that we can liberate why, we have to look at how management fashions have changed our inner potential. Staff at Pacific Bell were instructed in new over the past hundred years or so. concepts such as “the law of three” (a “thinking framework that helps us identify the quality of mental energy we have”), During the 19th century, when factories became more common, and discovered the importance of “alignment”, “intentionality” a new class of boss emerged: the manager. Keen to be recognised and “end-state visions”. This new vocabulary was designed to as part of the professional classes, managers saw themselves as a awaken employees from their kind of engineer, complete with bureaucratic doze and open stopwatches and rulers. In the their eyes to a new, higher-level “The language is used by middle process they created the fi rst consciousness. But it had some managers in the same way that Freemasons major workplace fashion: unfortunate side effects. First, scientific management. Firms according to one former middle use secret handshakes” started recruiting efficiency manager, it was virtually experts to conduct time and impossible for anyone outside the company to understand motion studies. After recording every single movement of a “Kronese”. Second, the manager said, this new language “led to a worker in minute detail, the time and motion expert would lot more meetings”, and the amount of time wasted nurturing this rearrange the worker’s performance of tasks into a more efficient higher consciousness meant that “everything took twice as long”. order. Their aim was to make the worker into a well-functioning machine. This was not limited to the workplaces of the capitalist Although Kroning was packaged in the New Age language West – Stalin pushed for similar techniques to be imposed in of psychic liberation, it was backed by all the threats of an factories throughout the Soviet Union. But workers found the authoritarian corporation. For instance, one manager was new techniques alien and a backlash inevitably followed. summoned to her superior’s office after a team member walked Charlie Chaplin famously satirised scientific management in his out of a Kroning session. She was asked to “force out or retire” 1936 fi lm Modern Times, which depicts a factory worker who is the rebellious employee. Some Pacific Bell employees wrote to slowly driven mad by the pressures of life on the production line. their congressmen about Kroning. The Californian utility regulator launched a public inquiry and eventually closed the Soon, executives began casting around for alternatives. They training course, but not before $40m dollars had been spent. found inspiration in a series of experiments conducted by psychologists in the 1920s, at a factory complex in Illinois During this period, a young computer programmer at Pacific where tens of thousands of workers were employed making Bell started drawing a cartoon that mercilessly mocked the telephone equipment. A team of researchers from Harvard management-speak that had invaded his workplace. The comic had initially set out to discover whether changes in environment, strip featured a hapless office drone, his disaffected colleagues, his such as adjusting the lighting, could influence how much workers evil boss and an even more evil management consultant. It was a produced each day. But they found that no matter how light or hit, syndicated in newspapers across the world. The programmer’s dark the factory, the only thing that made a difference to name was Scott Adams and the series he created was Dilbert. output was the amount of attention that workers got from the You can still fi nd these images pinned up in office cubicles today. researchers. This led one of the researchers, an Australian-born These days, Kronese seems relatively benign compared to much of psychologist called Elton Mayo, to conclude that the “human the vacuous language in circulation. Words like “intentionality” aspects” of work were far more important than “environmental”

THE WEEK 16 December 2017 The last word 61

factors. While this wasn’t a white straight may seem obvious, guy), “the aha effect” it came as news to (realising something), many executives at “getting our friends the time. As Mayo’s in the tent” (getting ideas caught hold, support from others). companies attempted to humanise their How has this workplaces. They obfuscatory way of started conducting speaking become so personality testing successful? There are and team-building The Dilbert cartoon strip: satirising the flatulence of corporate culture a number of explan- exercises, all in the ations. People use hope of nurturing good human relations at work. management-speak to give the impression of expertise. The inherent vagueness of this language also helps us dodge tough This new-found interest in the human side of work did not last questions. And I came across one further explanation in a short long. During the Second World War, as the US and UK military article by the anthropologist David Graeber. As factories in the invested heavily in trying to make war more efficient, West have been dismantled, and their work outsourced or management fashions began to shift. A bright young Berkeley replaced with automation, large parts of Western economies graduate called Robert McNamara led a US army air forces team have been left with little to do. To be a good citizen in our that used statistics to plan the most cost-effective way to fl atten culture, you need to be a productive citizen. Yet there is less than Japan in bombing campaigns. After the War, the mathematical ever that actually needs to be produced. As Graeber pointed out, management procedures that he had developed were taken up by the answer has come in the form of what he calls “bullshit jobs”. companies to help plan the best way to deliver cheese, toothpaste These are jobs in which people experience their work as “utterly and Barbie dolls to American consumers. Today these techniques meaningless”. In a YouGov poll conducted in 2015, 37% of are known as supply-chain management. respondents in the UK said their job made no meaningful contribution to the world. Yet people working in bullshit jobs By the postwar years, the individual worker was once again a need to do something. So bureaucracy has gone rampant: there cog in a large, hierarchical machine. The backlash came in the late are more forms to be fi lled in and procedures to be followed than 1960s, when the youth movement railed against the conformity ever. According to a 2014 survey, the average US employee now demanded by big corporations. Protesters sprayed slogans such as spends 45% of their working day doing their real job. The other “live without dead time” and “to hell with boundaries” onto city 55% is spent doing things such as wading through endless emails walls around the world. They wanted to be themselves, express or attending pointless meetings. Many employees have extended who they really were, and not have to obey “the Man”. In their working day so they can stay late to do their “real work”. response to this cultural change, management fashions changed again. In the 1970s, executives began attending New Age work- One of the corrosive effects of this working model can be seen shops to help them “self-actualise” by unlocking their hidden in the statistic that 43% of all teachers in England are considering “human potential”. Companies instigated “encounter groups”, quitting in the next fi ve years. The most frequently cited reasons in which employees could explore their deeper emotions. Offices are increasingly heavy workloads caused by excessive were redesigned to look more like university campuses than administration, and a lack of time and space to devote to factories. Work became a place you could go to fi nd yourself. educating students. A similar picture appears if you look at the Corporate mission statements healthcare sector: in the UK, now sounded like the revolu- 81% of senior doctors say tionary graffiti of the 1960s. “A seven-year-old described her day at school: they are considering retiring The ground was laid for Krone. ‘We get out our books and start on our from their job early; 66% of non-negotiables’” nurses say they would quit if Since then, the spin cycle of they could; 57% of GPs are management-speak has sped up. considering leaving the During the 1980s, the ideas of Harvard Business School’s Michael profession. In each case, the most frequently cited reason is C. Jensen started to fi nd favour. Jensen saw a corporation as stress caused by increasing managerial demands. a portfolio of assets. Even people – labelled “human resources” – were part of this. Each company existed to create returns for During the 1980s, when Kroning was in full swing, empty shareholders, and if managers failed to do this they should be management-speak was confined to the beige meeting rooms fi red. Every part of the company was seen as a business. Seduced of large corporations. Now, it has seeped into every aspect of life. by this view, many organisations started creating “internal The NHS is crawling with “quality sensei”, “lean ninjas” and markets”. In the 1990s, under director general John Birt, the BBC “blue-sky thinkers”. Even schools are fl ooded with the latest created a system in which everything from recording studio time business buzzwords like “grit”, “flipped learning” and “mastery”. to toilet cleaning was traded on a complex internal market. The Naturally, the kids are learning fast. One teacher recalled how a number of accountants working for the broadcaster exploded, seven-year-old described her day at school: “Well, when we get to while people who created TV and radio shows were laid off. class, we get out our books and start on our non-negotiables.”

As companies have become increasingly ravenous for the latest If we hope to improve organisational life – and the wider impact management fad, they have also become less discerning. Some that organisations have on our society – then a good place to start bizarre recent trends include equine-assisted coaching (“You is by reducing the amount of bullshit our organisations produce. can lead people, but can you lead a horse?”) and rage rooms Business bullshit allows us to blather on without saying anything. (a room where employees can go to take out their frustrations It empties out language and makes us less able to think clearly by smashing up office furniture). A century of management fads and soberly about the real issues. But this does not need to be has created workplaces that are full of empty words and equally the case. Each of us can simply refuse to use empty management- empty rituals. Consider a meeting I recently attended. Over an speak. Instead of just rolling our eyes and checking our emails, hour, I recorded 64 different nuggets of corporate claptrap. we should demand something more meaningful. They included familiar favourites such as “doing a deep dive”, “reaching out” and “thought leadership”. There were also some Taken from Business Bullshit by André Spicer, published by

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16 December 2017 THE WEEK 62 Crossword

THE WEEK CROSSWORD 1086 ThisThi week’s crossword winner will An Ettinger Croco key case and two Connell Guides will be given to the sender of the first receiverec an Ettinger (www.ettinger.co.uk) correct solution to the crossword and the clue of the week opened on Tuesday 2 January. Send it CrocoCro key case in ebony, which retails to: The Week Crossword 1086, 2nd floor, 32 Queensway, London W2 3RX, or email the answers to at £94, and two Connell Guides (www. connellguides.com).con [email protected]. Tim Moorey (www.timmoorey.info) 1 2 3 45674 ACROSS DOWN 4 Loaded spring with fuss (4-2-2) 1 Bit of a nag in Wilts (7) 8 8 Wonderful to eat around four (6) 2 Poets touring not well before 9 Agonised about a US city (3,5) one game (9) 9 10 Oil company in error to pay 3 What’s routed in a roundabout up (5,3) way? (6) 10 11 Cut fruit for eastern leader (6) 4 Resort offering glorious ride 12 Hearing score at Lord’s Test into the sunset? (6-5-4) 11 (5,3) 5 Remote chance of a field 13 Notice fewer perfectly clean (8) athlete? (4,4) 12 16 Broadcasts journey from 6 Tin container storing wide runway (8) fabric that’s woven (5) 19 Fantastic nineties scientist (8) 7 Summer periods with 13 14 21 Hit father back? Causes shock (6) boxers? (3,4) 23 Put out wrong info? Sits badly 14 Stalwarts involved in final 15 with friend outside (8) provocation (4,5) 24 Lady pocketing bent coin could 15 Greens in charge of a plant (8) 16 17 18 be this lady (8) 17 One million papers make a 25 Introduction to racket behind mark (7) 19 20 meadow (4-2) 18 Duck having trouble after some 26 Guess your setter’s involved in beer (7) 21 22 cryptic tease (8) 20 Get comfortable with some of the finest legends (6) 23 22 Sort of mayonnaise first-class with nutty oil (5) 24

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