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TALKINGPOINTS PEOPLE P10 BOOKS P25 P19THEWEEK 9JANUARY2021 |ISSUE 1313 |£3.99 THE BESTOFTHE BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA Back tolockdown Britain’sbleak winter Page2

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9771362 343166 ALL YOUNEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING THATMATTERS theweek.co.uk 2 NEWS The main stories… Back to lockdown: the challenge ahead “The mid-winter Covid nightmarethe that theschool term would go ahead as Government feared most is upon us,” normal in all but the veryworstaffected saidThe Sun. This week, in abid to halt areas, did thePMorder all schoolsto adramatic surge in cases of the new, more closefor at least six weeks. In No. 10, contagious, strain of the coronavirus, there is “a persistent refusal to confront Boris Johnsonput England into athird and act onthe worst-case scenario before national lockdown. It means that allofthe the worst hasactually happened”. UK is now under tight restrictions similar to those imposed in the spring. The Prime The approach toschools has been Minister said he had “no choice” but to particularly shambolic,said Sonia Sodha act, pointing out thatthe number of in The Observer. Only last month, the people in hospital in England with Covid Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, had shot up by nearly a third in the past threatened totake legal action against week toalmost 27,000 – 40% morethan schoolsinIslington and Greenwich, in at the peak of the first wave in the spring. London, when they suggested that they It’s thoughtthat more thanamillion might takethe precaution of breaking up people in Englandcurrently have the virus. for Christmas afew days early. Rather On Tuesday, the number ofnewdaily Hospitals are at risk of being overwhelmed than working withteachers, he has confirmed cases of Covid in the UK topped consistentlymade theirlives harder by 60,000 for thefirst time. In ajointstatement, the UK’s four springing policy changesonthemwith little notice. The chief medicalofficerswarned that the NHS was at riskof Government hasn’t exactly“covered itself with glory” on this being overwhelmed over the next three weeks. front,said FionaBulmer on CapX, but nor have theteaching unions, whose approachtomeetingpupils’educational needs Parts ofitare already buckling,said Shaun LinterninThe duringthe pandemic has been “threaded through with a ‘can’t Independent. In the southeast of England, some hospitals are do’ attitude”. Children, especially those fromdisadvantaged having to ration oxygen.Lincoln County Hospital declared a backgrounds, have been badlylet down. critical incident this week owing to the number of new patients needing to be The confirmationthis week admitted. In London, that GCSE and A-level exams where one in 30 people are “Intensive care nurses, used to tending to one will be cancelled inEngland estimated tohave thevirus, very ill patient each, are juggling three or four” (as elsewhere inthe UK) for a the King’s College Hospital second year in arow spells Trust cancelled all “Priority 2” “further disruptionfor a cancer operations –thosesourgent they’remeant to be carried generation whose formative years havebeen stolen by the out within 28 days. Elsewhere, ambulance crewshave been pandemic”, said The Times. But itmakes sense to replace “facing six-hour delays to hand over patients”. The system is the testswith aformofteacher assessment, given how much coming apart at theseams, agreed Martin Fletcher in theNew less time allpupils, but particularly those in the state sector, Statesman. Intensive care nurses usuallyonlyhave totendto have had to prepare. The examswouldotherwise have one seriously illpatienteach, but many arenow having to servedasa“state-sponsored exercise inentrenching juggle threeorfour. The UK’s Covid death toll has already educational inequality”. Toprevent even more damage to “passed75,000 – more than Britain’s civilian casualties in the pupils’ prospects, the Government must nowconcentrate on Second WorldWar–and could reach 100,000 by February”. ensuring that “when schools doreopen, they stay open”, said RachelSylvester in the same paper. The waytodothat is not “No onecan pretend that running acountry duringthe through masstesting, which istoo unreliable, butthrough deadliest pandemic in acentury is easy,” said Michael Deacon vaccination. Teachers should be prioritised for jabs along with in The DailyTelegraph. But Johnson has beenconsistently healthworkers, and there’s acase for movingolder pupils up behind thecurve throughout thiscrisis. Again and again, he the priority list too. People in their 60s might behappytowait has resistedfollowing scientists’ advice until the last minute. afew more weeks for ajabifitmeant their grandchildren His advisers warnedhim two weeks ago, in the run-up to could get back into aclassroom. “The responsetothe virus Christmas,that the exponential spread of infections calledfor has always been aquestionofpriorities. The debatehas been anew national lockdown and forschoolstoremain closed, seen as abalance between lives and livelihoods, but life said The Guardian.But only this week, aday afterinsisting chancesmattertoo.”

It wasn’tall bad Great white egrets Anew competition for members were spotted in so of the public to come up with In just four years, aCanadian many different parts of tangible policy ideas, big or firm has gathered 32 million England and Wales last small, to improve Britain as it discarded chopsticks, and used year that they will no emerges from the pandemic, is them to make household items longer be classed as a being launched with atop prize including tabletops and tablet rarity by Bird Guides, of £25,000. The prize was set up stands. Founded by Felix Böck the website that in memory of Lord Heywood of while he was aPhD student, monitors sightings Whitehall, the former cabinet ChopValue collects the mostly of rare breeds. The secretary who died in 2018, bamboo disposable chopsticks site said it had 8,300 by his widow Suzanne in order used in restaurants, and reports of the birds in to open up policymaking to cleans and repurposes them. 2020, of which 2,300 “people who really know what’s It currently picks up 350,000 were the first reported sightings of an egret in that particular going on”. Cabinet Office aweekinVancouver, and it location. And they were seen in almost every county, with the Minister Michael Gove is on the is expanding to other cities. exception of Co Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire and Cumbria. judging panel, and has pledged Globally, 1.5 billion chopsticks Ten years ago, there were just 1,085 sightings of the bright white that the Government will try to are thrown away each week. heron-sized birds, with their distinctive yellow beaks. put the best ideas into practice.

COVER CARTOON: HOWARD MCWILLIAM THE WEEK 9January 2021 …and how they were covered NEWS 3

on that scale, said David Rose in the Daily Mail, but there are Rolling out the vaccines worrying signs that theGovernment is reverting to typeby It was a “beacon of hope” in an otherwise overpromising andunder-delivering. The gloomy week,said Judith Woods in The UK had some fourmilliondoses of the Pfizer Daily Telegraph. On Monday,82-year-old jab by the New Year –yet only one million Brian Pinker became the firstperson in the people were actually inoculated. And, world to have the Oxford/AstraZeneca despitepledges that four million doses of coronavirus vaccine,atOxford’s Churchill the Oxford vaccine would be available by Hospital. After receiving it, the retired the start of2021, ministers now admit the maintenance managerspoke ofhis relief at actual figurewas just 530,000. The hold-ups being able to look forward with confidence –the result of acombination ofred tape (see to celebrating his48thwedding anniversary page 13)and supply issues –suggestthe withhis wife later thisyear. This vaccine roll-out could yet degenerate into “momentous” event took place days after another “fiasco”. the Oxford vaccine won approval for use in the UK, the second vaccine – afterthe Pfizer/ The unease has been compounded bythe BioNTech version –tohave done so. Health Brian Pinker: aworld first UK’s controversial decision tolengthen the Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the roll-out time-gap between people being given their as a“pivotalmoment”; the Government says its aim is to first and second doses, said Donato Paolo Manciniinthe FT. vaccinate 13 millionpeople by mid-February. The purposeofthe strategy is to ensure thatasmany people as possible gain some level ofimmunity, conferred bythe first The Oxford vaccine is an “astonishing achievement”, said The dose, as quickly aspossible. Butithas split scientific opinion; Times. Now approved in India as wellastheUK, it looks set while there is evidence that the Oxford vaccine performs well to become one of the world’smost widely used jabs –not least with the proposed 12-week gap between doses, the same is not becauseit’s much cheaper than alternatives and doesn’t need true ofthe Pfizer jab. Even so, said The Observer,this isthe to be stored atultra-low temperatures, making it easier to right move. Prioritisingfirstdosesover booster jabscould save distribute.The challenge now,said TheDaily Telegraph, “is thousands of lives,while “any alternativewould meanthat to produce enough of it and get it intothe arms of thosewho people who could havebeensaved mightfacedeath”. These need itmost asswiftly as possible”. If theGovernment is to are hard calls, said Rhys Blakely inThe Times. But the have any hope offulfillingits promise that things will start successful development of vaccines, on atimetable once to return to normalbyspring, two million people will have considered unimaginable, is nonetheless somethingtobe to be vaccinated every week. Thatought to be a realistic celebrated. Difficulttimes lieahead – but the vaccines will at target for acountry which each winter inoculates against flu least giveusa“fightingchance” of seeing better days soon.

New strains, new anxieties –mercifully –“scant evidence” that it causes more severe illness or risks jeopardising the efficacy of vaccines. The darkesthour is said to comejust before the Much more alarming is the second newly- dawn –andsoitmayprove in the fight against discovered variant, said Sarah Knapton in The coronavirus, said the FT. Just as hopes of a Daily Telegraph. Having originatedinSouth return to normality are being raised by the roll- Africa,this strain – 501.V2 – has sincespread out of vaccines,two highly contagious variants rapidlytoothercountries, including the UK. Its of Covid-19 threaten to herald the arrival of danger is downtomutations in thevirus’s spike days even bleaker than those seenlast spring. protein,the rod-like structure which Covid-19 Thefirst – B117 – is known asthe UK usestogain entry to human cells, and which variant, said Tony Allen-Mills in The Sunday vaccines produce“so that the body knows what Times. First detected in southeast England to lookfor and what to fight off”. Changes to towardsthe end of last year,ithas since been the spike proteincould render the body unable identifiedinatleast 33 other countries. It is “dramatically to detectthe virus,potentially jeopardising the efficacy of more contagious” than otherCovid strains, and is thought vaccines.Scientists say they’re confident that vaccines will to have accelerated UK transmissionrates byasmuch as work against thevirus tosome extent – and can be quickly 50-74% –eveninareas thatwereunder near-lockdown adjusted to tackle it –but the strain has nonetheless sparked restrictions before Christmas. Yet although the variant is afrantic rush by scientists to establish how much of an associated with ahigher load of infectious particles, thereis additionalthreat it mayprovetobe.

Editor-in-chief: Caroline Law Here we go again. The start of 2021 finds the country back in yet Editor: Theo Tait THEWEEK another lockdown, facing more weeks of weary confinement, Deputy editor: HarryNicolle Executive editor: LaurenceEarle City editor: JaneLewis Assistanteditor: Robin de Peyer isolation and grim hospital statistics. The sole consolation is the Contributing editors: Simon Wilson, RobMcLuhan, Catherine Heaney,DigbyWarde-Aldam, TomYarwood, thought that we may have reached, or nearly reached, the nadir of the Covid pandemic. As more WilliamSkidelsky Editorial staff: Anoushka Petit, Tigger Ridgwell,Sorcha Bradley, Aine O’Connor Editorial people are vaccinated in the months ahead and the weather improves, most expect things to start to assistant: Asya Likhtman Picture editor: Xandie Nutting Art director: Nathalie Fowler Sub-editor: TomCobbe look up. Indeed, some commentators are daring to dream that things could soon be better than ever. Production editor: AlannaO’Connell Several have suggested that, just as the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic was followed by the Roaring Editorialchairman and co-founder: Jeremy O’Grady ProductionManager: Maaya Mistry Production Executive: Twenties, so the Covid crisis might lead, in time, to aspectacular recovery. The hope is that the Sophie Griffin Newstrade Director: DavidBarker DirectMarketing Director: Abi Spooner pandemic has shaken up old ways of doing things and spurred innovation, and that the release of Account Manager/Inserts: JackReader Classified: Henry Haselock Account Directors: Jonathan Claxton, Hattie White pent-up demand will have atransformative effect. Andy Haldane, the Bank of England’s chief Senior Account Manager: Joe Teal AdvertisingManager: Carly Activille economist, reckons households have saved some £100bn during the pandemic as aresult of having Group Advertising Director: CarolineFenner Founder: Jolyon Connell fewer spending opportunities and no commuting costs –money that could soon be pouring back ChiefExecutive, The Week: Kerin O’Connor into the economy. It’s acomforting thought in these cheerless times, although the reality is that any ChiefExecutive: JamesTye revival is likely to be acruelly uneven oneinthe short term. While many are better off as aresult of DennisPublishingfounder: FelixDennis working from home, the Covid crisis has cost plenty of others their jobs and savings, and worse. If THE WEEK Ltd,asubsidiary of Dennis, 31-32 Alfred and when the good times do come back, the worry, as Martin Sandbu put it Place, London WC1E 7DP. Tel: 020-3890 3890 Editorial: 020-3890 3787 in the FT, is that much of society will be “too broken to come to the party”. Harry Nicolle Email: [email protected]

Subscriptions: 0330-3339494;[email protected] ©Dennis Publishing Limited 2021.All rights reserved. The Week is aregistered trademark. Neither the whole of this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system or transmitted in any form or by anymeans without the written permission of the publishers 9January 2021 THE WEEK 4 NEWS Politics

Controversy of the week The cladding trap Millions of homeowners in Is Brexit done? Britain are living in proper- ties that they may be unable “Boris Johnsonendedableak political year with asmile on his to sell because of concerns face,” said George Parker in theFT. In theend, he achieved about the safety of their clad- something many said wasimpossible. He prised afree trade ding. According to research deal out of Brussels, andled aunified Conservative party for Telegraph Money, into the Commons lobbies –alongside162 LabourMPs –to 4.6 million properties could support thenew EU–UK Tradeand Cooperation Agreement. be affected (16% of the During last Wednesday’s emergency debate,“various Tory housing stock). It is estimated that 870,000 of them are in MPsput Mr Johnson’snameintothe same sentence as buildings that are over 59ft Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcherand Alexander the (18m) tall, putting them at Great”. EvenKeir Starmerconceded that “a thin deal” was the highest risk, and better than “no deal”.After years “of Brexitacrimony, it felt meaning they will have to like achapter wasclosing on British politics”. At last, “weare pass an External Wall Fire free”, said Stephen Glover in the Daily Mail –“free to chart Review before banks will our owncourse as asovereign and independentnation”. The grant a mortgage on them to year 2021 may be rememberedasone of those great turning Johnson: free at last would-be buyers. This week, points in history,likethe Glorious Revolution of 1688, or thedefeat of Napoleon in 1815. more than a dozen Tory MPs signed an amendment to the Government’s Fire Safety bill On theother hand, it may not,said Anand Menon in The Guardian. The deal wascertainly amajor that would ensure that the coup,but theideathatBrexit is “done” is afantasy. Many big decisions have been kicked down the costs of necessary remedial road. The EU hasyet to decide whether it willgrantthe UK financial “equivalence”–allowing its works would not be passed financial services companiestotradeeasily with the EU –and to makeasimilar decision on data. In on to residents. five years, the acrimonious negotiations about fishquotas will be reopened. Under thedeal, theUK hasthe righttochangeits regulations; butthe EU hasthe right to retaliatewithtrade tariffs. “The Inequality post-Covid trade-offs between autonomyand marketaccess inherent in Brexit have not gone away.” The deal A report by the Institute will “inevitably” damage theBritisheconomy, said Martin Wolfinthe FT.The UK haspreserved for Fiscal Studies has favourable–ifworse –access formanufactured goods, which benefits theEU, butnot forservices, in highlighted the ways in which the pandemic has which Britain has acomparativeadvantage.The deal also leaves thevery survival of the UK in doubt driven up health and income (seepage 18). Thebest that can be said is that it’s better thannodeal, andthatitwillbring to an end inequality in the UK. It notes, the Brexit “delusion” –that “takingback control” fromBrussels willsolve all the nation’sproblems. for instance, that mortality rates in the most deprived “A fewRemainer refusenikswillkeepmoaning,” said LiamHalligan in TheDaily Telegraph. But communities have been the rest of us will feel the benefits immediately. VATontampons, as demanded by the EU, has around twice as high as alreadybeen scrapped.The 95%ofUKfirmsthat don’t export to the EU won’t have to comply with those in the least deprived; expensive EU rules. Over 60 free tradedeals have already been secured.Britain nowdoesn’t haveto and that among graduates, payintothe s750bn eurozonerescue fund. We regain control over billions in “Cohesion Fund” cash, there has been a7%fall in the number doing paid work, whichcan be used to level up theregions.The truth is thatthe UKwas only ever “halfinthe EU”, whereas the number of non- said The Independent. Now it is “halfout”. We willnever escape the continent’s “gravitational graduates doing paid work pull”. Nor should we tryto. Acloserelationship with Europe “is in allour interests”. has fallen 17%.

Good weekfor: Spirit of the age Woman’s Hour, which received arare message from the Queen, Poll watch Acraze for posting pictures to mark thestartofits 75th year. The 94-year-old monarch, who One in five British adults of fat pets online could be is believedtobealong-timelistener, describedthe Radio4show who drink alcohol are putting animals’ health at as “a friend, guideand advocate to women everywhere”. intending to forswear it for risk, vets have warned. Two Lewis Hamilton, theFormula 1driver, whowas awarded a the whole of this month. Instagram accounts, Round knighthood in the NewYear’s Honours. The citationdescribes That is the equivalent of 6.5 Boys and Round Animals, him as “amongstthe greatest ever sportsmenthatthe United million people; by contrast, have 1.2 million followers at this time last year 3.9 between them, while the Kingdom hasproduced”,and also noteshis philanthropic work. million people were Facebook group This Cat Other honours wenttoactressSheila Hancock, who wasmade planning aDry January. is Chonky has 857,000 aDame, and screenwriter Jed Mercurio, who wasmadeOBE. Alcohol Change UK/ members. There are about The Guardian 8.5 million overweight pets Bad week for: in the UK, 600,000 more Aconstituency-by- than five years ago. Experts Ring-necked parakeets, with reports that officialsatDefra constituency poll has say these sites risk giving are discussing planstocull“satellite populations” of thebirds. found neither the Tories owners askewed perception Scientistssay the parakeets pose athreattonative wildlife.Once nor Labour would win of what ahealthy weight is; mainly confined to west London, they have spread rapidly in the an outright majority if and may even encourage past 20 yearsand are nowseeninManchesterand even Glasgow. an election were held them to overfeed their pets. The Royal Mint, afteradmirersofH.G.Wellsspotted multiple tomorrow. The poll put errors on anew £2 coin commemorating the author. Themost Labour on 37.7% (up from Arecord 23% of current 32.2% in the last election, Year 13 pupils are hoping egregiousisarguablyanimageofa“Tripod” fighting machine in December 2019) and the to study at auniversity from The War of the Worlds that has four legs. Tories on 35.6% (down from close to home, aUcas MargaretFerrier, theMPwho travelled 800milesonpublic 43.6%). It found the Tories survey has found – transportwhile suffering fromCovid-19, who was arrested by would lose 81 seats, includ- suggesting that Covid-19 PoliceScotlandonsuspicion of breakinglockdown laws. Ferrier ing most of the “red wall” has accelerated the long- tookatrain to London lastSeptember, thoughshe feltunwell seats they took in 2019. term trend away from and hadtaken aCovid test.Whileinthe capital,she received Focaldata/The Sunday “boarding” at university. apositive result –yet still gotonatrain back to Glasgow. Times

THE WEEK 9January 2021 The UK at aglance NEWS 5

Edinburgh Edinburgh New lockdown: Mainland Scotlandhas been placed in full Panda threat: Edinburgh Zoo has lockdown foratleast three weeks because of the risksposed warned that it may have to returnits by the new Covid variantB117. In anemergency statement giant pandas to China, owing to financial on Monday, Nicola Sturgeon saidthat with schools closed to pressures. The Royal Zoological Society pupilsuntil at leastthe end of January, children would revert of Scotland leases the pandas, Yang to remote andonline learning. At the same time, new“stay Guang and Tian Tian, from the Chinese at home” rules wouldbegiven legal force, greatly restricting government atacost of around £1m a freedom to travel. While Scotlandhas not experienced the year. But last week the charity’s CEO, sharp rises in Covid casesexperienced in England over the David Field,said a drop in visitor pastweek, the number has beenrising rapidly.OnMonday, numbers as a result of Covid-19 meant it it reached 2,529. The Western Isles, Shetlandand Orkneywere hadto“seriouslyconsidereverypotential leftatlevel 3,meaning shops can remain open, but schools there saving”, including thereturnofthe are closing,and Sturgeon warned that thesituation remained pandas at theend of their ten-yearcontract in 2022. “We will be under review. discussingnext steps with our colleagues in China,” he added.

Chester-le-Street, County Durham Naked anger: Naturists have accused police in CountyDurham of putting them at risk of assaultbysuggestingthatitis illegal to be naked in public. Three Rivers OutdoorClub, which organises naturistevents,complained after a man who had allegedly been spotted wandering naked on WaldridgeFell, near Chester-le- Street, wasdetained on suspicion of outraging public decency. The group said the police’sFacebook post abouttheincident was“discriminatory”, because being naked in public is not of itselfacrime,and thepost did not mention anyother reasonfor his arrest. According to government guidance, being naked in public shouldnot beconsideredanoffenceifthe person had“no intention to cause alarm ordistress”, and no distresswas caused.

Belfast Services under pressure: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has warned that there could be “lengthy delays” in responsetimes to 999 callsowingtovery high levelsofstaffabsence. Theservice hasabout 850 front-line staff, and some 100 call handlers inits controlcentre. Last week, about 260 of its employees were reportedtobe off work, 160 of them for Covid-relatedreasons. Meanwhile, the region’s hospitals were said to be atalmost 100% capacity, with only six bedsempty. Morethan 11,000 cases of Covid-19 were reportedinthe region inthe seven days to Sunday, more than doubletheweek before. Northern Irelandwas put into a six-week lockdown inlateDecember; thisweek,afull “stay at home” order was announced and is due tobecome lawonFriday.

SnakePass, Derbyshire Snow storm: Derbyshire Police lambasted “stupid” hikerslast weekend after dozens of people weretrapped by widely forecast snowfallsinthe PeakDistrict. The county’s RuralCrime Team criticisedthe owners of “upwards of 200cars”, who’d got stranded after parking their cars at the1,680ft summit of Snake Pass, andhad then expected the police to rescue them with their “magical snowmobiles”. “We’ll deal with what we can,but... we canonlyknock so muchcommon sense back into society,” said the forceonits Facebook page. In Wales, crowdsofwalkers,and families with sledges, were also reportedtohavedescended on the Brecon Beacons, in spite of official pleas to stayaway.Policesaid one large group hadtravelled75miles from Cheltenham.

Cardiff MP hospitalised: Politicians from all sideshave sent messages of support to Dover, Kent shadow culturesecretary Jo Stevens, Calm crossing: Despite predictions of trafficchaos, HGVs flowed whoisbeing treatedinhospital for freelythrough portsand other entrypoints in Kent on NewYear’s Covid-19.According to astatement Day as thenew UK-EU trading relationship cameintoeffect. issued last week, the MP for Cardiff “Everything’s running just as it wasbefore,” said aspokesman Central was“laid low with Covid” for Eurotunnel at Folkestone. However, hauliers warned that symptomsatthe end of December. many HGV drivers may have postponed their journeysinantici- She is thefourthMPknown to have pation of problems,sothe real test wasyet to come.Meanwhile, been hospitalised with the virus, after residents of two villages outsideDover were appalled to receive BorisJohnson, and Labour’s Yasmin aletterfromthe Governmentwarning them that avasttract of Qureshiand TonyLloyd. This week,Wales’s FirstMinister farmlandneartheirhomeshas been bought by theDepartment for Mark Drakeford said thatwiththe NHSunder“huge pressure”, Transport foruse as acustomsclearance facility for 1,200 lorries. the lockdown there is to continue until at least theend of January. Work on the site,nearWhitfield, wasdue to beginwithindays.

9January 2021 THE WEEK

Europe at aglance NEWS 7

Paris Ask,Norway Moscow Abuse claims: Village engulfed: The confirmeddeath Putin immunity: Vladimir Putin has signed One of France’s tollfrom the landslide thatswamped a a law that gives former presidentsimmunity best known Norwegian village afew days after from prosecution for crimescommitted at intellectuals Christmasrose toseven this week, when any point in theirlives. It also exempts resigned his rescuers found three morebodies. Afew them from interrogation,searches and academicand hours later, adog was found alive in the arrest. Previously, ex-presidents were media poststhis rubble, raising hopesforthe three people entitled toimmunity only forcrimes week,after being still missing. The disaster struck in the committed inoffice. They can onlybe accused of early hours of 30December, whenaquick stripped oftheir immunity if charged with sexuallyabusing clay hillside collapsed,sendingatorrentof treason, and the charges areconfirmed by histeenage mud into the village of Ask,some 20km the supreme and constitutional courts. stepsoninthe northeast of Oslo. At least nine buildings Other than Putin, theonly potential 1980s. The allegations against Olivier were shifted hundreds of metres, including beneficiary ofthe amendment is his Duhamel (above) are contained in a severalsmallapartment blocks.Quick lieutenant, Dmitry Medvedev. He served new book by his stepdaughter, Camille clay, which isfound in Norwayand as president from2008 to2012, when, Kouchner. Shesaysthat members of her Sweden,isaglaciomarine clay thatcan owing to limits on presidential terms, Putin family, and of Duhamel’s circle, were quickly turninto aliquid statewhen became PM. (Mikhail Gorbachev’soffice aware of the abuse, but kept quietto overloaded.Recovery efforts have been wasnot that of the president of Russia.) protect him. Sheand her brother arethe complicated bylimiteddaylight, sub-zero children of BernardKouchner –aformer temperatures andthe instability of the ministerwho co-founded Médecins Sans terrain. A thousand residents have been Frontières.Hedescribed it as a “secret that evacuatedfromthe area incaseof hasbeen weighing on usfor toolong”. further landslides.

Paris Vaccine hold-ups: France’svaccination programme got off to aslow startlast week, leading to witheringcriticism of thegovernment bydoctors’ groups and themedia. Bythis Monday, only around 500 people inFrance had had the jab, compared with 240,000 in Germanyand around 1.3 million inthe UK (where vaccinations started before Christmas). Some 66,000 people have died with Covid in France, making it oneofthe worst affected countries inEurope;however, it is also one of the world’s mostvaccine- sceptical countries. According to a recent poll,58% of French people plan to refuse the vaccine. In an attempttoreassure the public,various safeguards have been put into place, including therequirement that allpatients are handed a45-page protocol explainingthe implications of thevaccine. However, many commentatorsbelievethat this hasonlyheightened suspicion ofthe jab, while slowing down its roll-out.

Athens Berlin Priests defy lockdown: Greece’s powerful Grimrecord: Germanyreported more than Orthodox Church directedits prieststo 1,000 Covid deaths in asingleday for thefirst defy aCovid lockdown this week,by time lastweek, as medics and epidemiologists openingtheir churchestoworshippersfor warned that the virus is threateningtospiral the feast of theEpiphany. Greece went out of controlinEurope’s biggest nation. In the back into lockdowninNovember, but first wave of thepandemic last year,Germany partially relaxed restrictions in the run-up registered around 10,000 deaths, far fewer than to Christmas, allowing churchesand the UK,Spain, Italy and France. But sinceearly non-essential shops to reopenfor aperiod November, some25,000 people have died with Covid,and it is currentlyrecording that included the feast day, which is one around 630 deathsadayonaverage. This week, Chancellor Merkeland thepremiers of themostimportant in theChristian of the 16 federal statesagreedtoextend thecurrent national lockdown, whichbegan calendar. Last weekend, as surging cases on 16 December, until at least the end of January. She said thegoal was to getthe rate put the health system under intense of infections low enough to enable an efficienttrack-and-trace operation,but warned pressure, thegovernment backtracked,and that the mutation first detected in Britain hadcreated a“new andspecial situation”. orderedchurches to close until Sunday. Other countries acrossEuropereporting majorsurges in Covid casesover the past Butafter an emergency session of itsholy few weeksinclude Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlandsand Turkey. In several synod, theChurch announced that it countries, there is growing frustration that logistical problems aredelaying theroll-out would “insist on what wasoriginally of vaccinationprogrammes. In Spain, where the death tollhas passed 50,000,the agreedwiththe state”. Greecehas fared healthminister hasannounced plansfor avaccinationregistry, listingthosewho better than most European countries refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19. during the pandemic, recording only around 5,000Covid-19 deaths to date.

Catch up with daily news at theweek.co.uk 9January 2021 THE WEEK 8 NEWS The world at aglance

Washington DC Toronto, Canada Slow start: America’s “Warp Speed” mass vaccination programme Holiday scandal: The finance ministerofOntario – Canada’s against coronavirus got off to a disappointinglyslow start, and most populous province – resigned lastweek, afteritemerged missed itsfirst targetofinoculating 20 million people bythe end that he hadgone on holiday to theCaribbeanoverChristmas, of December. Although 14 million doses ofthe Pfizervaccine were in spite of government guidanceagainstnon-essential travel. distributed by then, only 2.8 million people had been given the To compound the embarrassment, RodPhillips had posted, on jab. Dr Anthony Fauci, the topUSinfectious diseases expert who Twitter, images of himselfapparently celebrating Christmasat is due to serve as Joe Biden’schief medical adviser, called on the home, in what looked like anattempttomislead votersastohis federal government tomake moreresources availabletothe local whereabouts. One video clip,posted on ChristmasEve, showed governments charged with rolling out thevaccine. Biden has himwith aglass of eggnog andagingerbread house, next to a pledged to oversee thevaccination of 100 million Americans in roaring fire. In it, he thanked Ontariansfor doingtheir bit to hisfirst 100 daysinoffice. Thedeath toll from Covid-19 in the “protect the vulnerable” during “this challenging holiday season”. US has now passed 365,000 –the highest tallyofany country Butfar frombeing stuck at home in snowy Ontario, Phillips had, (though other countries,including Britain, have higher per in fact, been in St Barts since 13 December. Last week, he admitted capitadeathtolls). PresidentTrump described thefigureas“far he’d made “a dumb, dumb mistake”. Ontario premier Doug Ford, exaggerated”, but presented no evidencetocontradict it. whoknew about the holiday,isnow also facing calls to quit.

Atlanta, Georgia Crunch votes: The Democratswere a whisker away from gaining control of the Senate thisweek,followingtwo special elections in Georgia. At 2amon Wednesday, Associated Press declared victory forBaptist pastor Raphael Warnock (pictured), putting him on course to become thefirst African American that the traditionally Republican statehas sent to the Senate. However, the Democrats neededboth seats fora majority, and theresult in the second re-run electionwas still too closetocallatthe time ofgoing to press. Meanwhile inWashington,Congresswaspreparingformally to ratify Joe Biden’selection win, as President Trump continued to makeunevidenced claims thatitwas tainted by election fraud. He’durged Republican legislators – including the presiding officer, Vice-President Mike Pence –toobject totheelection results. Separately,The Washington Post producedaleaked audio recording of a phonecall in which Trump had put pressureona senior Republican election official in Georgia to “find” himthe votes he’d need to overturn Biden’sslim victory there.

New York Baildenied: GhislaineMaxwell has had her latestapplication to be released on baildeniedbyacourtinNewYork. The British socialite, 59, wasarrested inJuly, 11 months after herex-lover, Jeffrey Epstein,killed himself in prison while awaitingtrial on chargesoftrafficking underage girls.She is accused ofabetting thosecrimes.Atthe hearing last week, her lawyers proposed putting up $28.5m inbail. Theysaid she’d agree to be tagged andput under24-hour guard,and pointedtoher marriage to an American asareason for her not to flee. Butthe judge ruled that Maxwell remained aflight riskand citedthe bail sumproposed as evidence that she’d understated herwealth. “Your lack of candour only solidifiesthe risk of youfleeing,” the judge ruled. Maxwell is duetogoontrial on 12 July. She denies the charges.

ÁguaPreta, Brazil Culturewar: Agiant concrete sculptureoffemale genitalia, Buenos Aires embedded intoahillside in Abortionlegalised: Argentina has Brazil, hassparked aculture become only the third country in war between(mainly left-wing) SouthAmerica to legalise abortion, admirers of its uncompromising after Uruguay andGuyana(whichare bothafraction of itssize). boldness and(mainly right- Thenew law, whichlegalises electiveterminationswithin the wing) detractors whosuspect first 14 weeks of pregnancy, andwhichhad thebackingofthe it is intended as amessage to left-wing government of President AlbertoFernández, was passed President Bolsonaro. Entitled Diva,the 33-metre-long sculpture by the Senate by 38 votesto29last week. Ithad already been was unveiled by artist JulianaNotari in aparkinÁgua Preta, passed by thelowerhouse of Congress.The legalisation represents Pernambuco state,lastweekend. On Facebook, she said it was amajor breakthroughfor women’s rights in aregionthat has intended to “question therelationship betweennatureand culture some of theharshest abortionlawsinthe world (see page 14). in ourphallocentric andanthropocentric Western society”, and Tensofthousands of pro-choice campaigners hadgathered encouragepeopletoaddress the “problematisationofgender”. outside Congress as legislators voted on thebill. ULIANA NOTARI ©J

THE WEEK 9January 2021 The world at aglance NEWS 9

Jerusalem Kobajjep, Syria Beijing Speedyjabs: Israel has won international Isis fights on: At least37Syrian soldiers Ma mystery: plaudits for the exceptionally fast roll-out were killed in an ambush by Islamic State Speculationis of its Covid mass vaccination programme. fighterslast week, in their deadliest such rife over the By early this week, more than 1.2 million attackfor a year. It took placenear the fate of Jack Israelis hadreceivedthe first dose of the town of Kobajjep, on theroad between Ma, one of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, a far higher pro- Deir Ezzor and Palmyra. Isislost its final China’s richest portion of the population(14%) than any “caliphate” territory in March 2019, but businessmen, other country. It is awelcome boostfor the jihadists loyal to thecause continue to who has not Netanyahugovernment, which has been mountfrequent attacks.Globally,Islamic been seen in widelycriticised for its earlier mishandling State andaffiliatedgroups claimedrespon- publicsince late October. The billionaire of the crisis.The PM, who faces another sibility for morethan 800 terrorist attacks co-founder of techgiantAlibaba and its general election in March (the fourth in in theyear to 10 December,including 280 financial affiliate, theAnt Group, Maisthe two years), seems determined to return the in Iraq,according to BBC Monitoring. mosthigh-profilesymbol ofChina’s rise to country to some formofnormalitybefore However, the number ofpeoplekilled in economic superpower status.But he has then. Buthumanrights groups say Israel is terrorist attacks worldwide fellin2019 oftenclashed with Beijingover regulatory ignoring its moraland legal obligations as for the fifth year running,according to the issues. InOctober,hegave an outspoken an occupyingpower, by failing to include Global Terrorism Index published by the speech ataShanghaisummit,reportedly millions ofPalestinians living in the Institutefor Economics and Peace. It found infuriating President Xi Jinping. Regulators occupied territories in the vaccination the numberkilled has decreasedby59% afterwards halted the plannedflotation of drive, even though Jewish settlers were. since2014, to 13,826 in 2019. Ant. Ma isnow said tobe“lyinglow”.

Hong Kong Mass arrests: Days after agreeingatrade deal with the EU, China hasordered the arrest of 53 pro- democracycampaigners andlegislators inHong Kong.They are accused of “subvertingstate power” by holding primariesfor pro-democracy candidates in theforthcoming legis- lative council election – a crime under thenew National Security Law, as itinterferes with “the performance of duties” by the central and HK govern- ments. This removes “the remaining veneerof democracy in the city”, said Maya Wang of Human Rights Tillabéri, Niger Pretoria Watch. Villagers slain: New strain At least100 of the virus: peoplewerekilled South Africa in attacks by imposed a suspected jihadists new national on twovillagesin lockdown Nigerlast Saturday last week –the mostdeadly of severalsimilar attacks –which Tehran acrossthe country.Niger’s PM, Brigi includes a Tankerhijacked: Iran’s Revolutionary Rafini, confirmed that 70 people were blanket ban Guardshave seized aSouth Korean oil killed in the village of Tchombangou and on thesale tankeronthe pretext thatitwas “polluting 30 in Zaroumdareye. The attacks were of alcohol –after asurgeinCovid cases the PersianGulfwith chemicals”.The carried outbyarmedmilitants travelling ascribedin, part, to anew, more infectious tankerand its 20 crew are being held on motorcyclesand wereprobablyin variantofthe coronavirus. In an unusually under guardatBandar Abbasport, as part retaliation for the killing of twojihadists emotional TV address to thenation, of Tehran’s retaliationagainst SouthKorea by villagers. The two villages lie in Niger’s President Ramaphosasaidthatthis more for refusing to release $7bn in Iranianoil western Tillabéri region,close to the contagious strain(known as 501.V2)was export funds held by Seoul banks –funds borders with Mali and BurkinaFaso, both now “well-established” in SouthAfrica. thathad beenfrozenunderUSsanctions. of which haveendured violentjihadist Noting that manyhospitals were already Tensions between Tehran andWashington insurgencies. Niger andits Sahel neigh- overwhelmed, he criticised the“extreme have escalated rapidly in thelastweeks of bourshave also seenasurgeininter-ethnic lack of vigilanceamongst us over the the Trump presidency. Iran’sforeign killings, stoked by the jihadist violenceand holidayperiod. We’ve simply letour guard minister, Javad Zarif, hasaccused theUS competition for scarceresources. down, and we are now payingthe price.” of tryingtoset up a“pretext for war”.

9January 2021 THE WEEK 10 NEWS People

Coulson’s time inside –who was freed after five Andy Coulson’srise and fall months – wouldn’tnecessarily was meteoric. Born to working- wave awand anddelete the class parents inBasildon, he whole chapter if he could. “I’m startedout innewspapers aged not at all glad it happened,” he 16. By 20,hewas reporting for says, “but Ithink it definitely The Sun; at 35,hewas editing causes you to look hard at your the News of theWorld. He life. That’s the bit of prison resigned over thephone that Isuppose does work.” hacking scandal in2007, but wasmadeDavid Cameron’s George Clooney, art thief director ofcommunications In early 2014, while inLondon sixmonths later. Then, as the promotingafilm, George hacking revelations intensified, Clooney voiced a controversial it allunravelled. He quit opinion. Perhaps, he suggested, Downing Streetin2011 and, the UK shouldreturnthe Elgin threeyears later,was sentenced Marbles to Greece. “And that to 18 months after beingfound was when your currentprime guilty of conspiracy to intercept minister compared metoAdolf voicemails. Prison, he told Hitler,” he toldTom Lamont Decca Aitkenhead in The in The Observer. He giggles. Sunday Times, was a“miser- “It still makesmelaugh. He able place... I was locked up for saidmycomments about the at least 18hours most days and Marbles made meanart thief some days23”.Hetried to fit like Hitler was an artthief.” in;heused theslang(“‘How What Boris Johnson may not are you?’ ‘Ah, I’m good. Living have realised was that he was the dream.’”), but mostly “the doing Clooney afavour. At the wayIapproached it is:I’m time, the filmstar was secretly Charlotte Tilbury, the make-up artist turned cosmetics entrepreneur, here.I’mbreathing, I’m dating his future wife,the had aglitzy, bohemian upbringing. When she was nine months old, thinking, and this is another lawyer Amal Alamuddin. her parents moved her to Ibiza, where they were pioneers of “The place to breatheandthink. Not “There was all this uproar Scene”. “They were known as the king and queen of Ibiza,” she told a particularly pleasant one, but about whatI’d said,” recalls Polly Vernon in The Times. “They were there in the 1960s. They met I’ll get on andget through it.” Clooney, “and I was meeting at aFull-Moon partyonFormentera.” By the age of ten, she’d He passed the time by drawing Amal for dinner that night.” danced with Grace Jones while James Brown played aset; later she up “bonkers”plans to improve By chance, she’d been hired to mixed with the likes of Eddy Grant, Bob Marley and Queen. ”Igrew prison TV, and watching fight for the Marbles’ return, up surrounded by actors, writers, musicians,” she says. Aguru-like “more daytime television than and ranClooneythrough the Oxford don called Ra (“As in the Sun god. Hehad a bigheaddress is healthy for anyhuman arguments. When he spoke with aruby at the centre of it”) taught her telepathy and, by the time being”. The experienceled him about it again, hoping to settle she was sent to boarding school in Sussex at 13, her mind was like to radically rethink the tough the scorewith Johnson, “Iwas a“library of images” from her years surrounded by stars. It wasn’t views on law and order he’d just loaded with facts”. Later long before she was giving her friends makeovers. “I was very espoused as a tabloid editor. that year, George and Amalgot entrepreneurial, even at 13. Istarted selling make-up at school. I “The irony was not lost on married; now, they have two can’t help myself.” After leaving school, she made her name in the me.” Prison, he says, “doesn’t children. Doesn’t Johnson late 1990s as amake-up artist to the stars, before launching her own work... It doesn’t work for the deserve some ofthecredit? brand in 2013. Her company is nowworth hundreds of millions of prisoner, doesn’t work for “You’re right!” says Clooney. pounds –but Tilbury insists she is motivated by her customers, not society... It’s not a good use of “I’ll send him a note. A thank by the money. “I did it because Iwant to give something to these public money.”Yet Coulson you note.And a comb.” women,” shesays. “I want to make them feel amazing.”

Castaway of the week Viewpoint: Farewell This week’s edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs featured the Love in the time of corona president of the Army Officer Selection Board, Colonel Lucy Giles George Blake, Soviet “Thesedaysmanythings seem to bring double agent whoes- 1* The Day That Never Comes,written andperformed by Metallica on thetears. Last week Iwas walking caped from prison, died 2 Heart-Shaped Box by Kurt Cobain, performed by Nirvana through acar park on afreezing cold 26 December, aged 98. 3 Pilate’s Dream (from Jesus Christ Superstar)byTim Rice and Peak District day when Isaw thissmall Tommy Docherty, ex Andrew Lloyd Webber, performed by Barry Dennen scene.Two olderpeople unfurled a Scotland manager, died 4 Love Shack,written and performed by The B-52’s home-made ‘Happy Birthday’ banner 31 December, aged 92. 5 Street Spirit(Fade Out),written and performed by Radiohead and held it up,almostshyly. Across Tanya Roberts, actress 6 For Those in Peril on theSea by WilliamWhitingand John from them wasafamily including a who playeda“Bond Bacchus Dykes (arr. Lt Col SimonHaw MBE), performed by the youngboy whomusthavebeen about girl” in AViewtoaKill, Band of theColdstreamGuards and members of theGuards’ eight.Abagofpresents wasonthe died 4January, aged 65. Chapel Choir tarmacbetween the twogroups. The 7 Fire by SergioPizzorno,performed by Kasabian Albert Roux, chef and banner wasput awayamidmuchwell- restaurateur, died 8 Big in Japan,written and performed by Alphaville wishing for the boy. The presents were 4January, aged 85. picked up.Then the two groups walked offtotheir separatecars. This is how Sir Brian Urquhart, diplomat who shaped grandparents hug in the time of corona. the UN’s peacekeeping Book: abook by Agatha Christie This is lovewhen youfollow the rules. role, died2January, Icouldn’thelp but be moved.” aged 101. Luxury: ajigsaw puzzle *Choiceifallowed only one record Ann Treneman in The Times

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Briefing NEWS 11 Thewar on traffic In cities across Britain,hundreds of Low Traffic Neighbourhoodswere introduced last year – and they’re causing analmightyrow

Why wasthis policy introduced? havebeen vandalised; bollards have been They were a product of the pandemic. stolen. In Hackney,acouncillorreceived In May, the Government unveiled a adeath threat becauseofhissupportof £250m“emergency active travel fund” LTNs. “The issuehas been worse than to encourage walking and cycling: it Brexit around here in terms of the angst aimed to reduce overcrowding on public and animosity,” says RichardAldwinckle transport after the first lockdown, and to of One Dulwich, agroup opposing LTNs stop worried commuters taking to their in south London. cars in large numbers. Councils in cities acrosstheUKwere given funding to What are the criticisms? introduce “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” Convenience, for one: drivers complain (LTNs)inwhich throughtraffic or “rat- that previously short tripsnow take running”inresidential streets would be much longer as they areforced to make stopped by installing bollardsorwooden lengthy detours or risk fines.Others say planters. Within months,almost250 that people with disabilities have been LTNs were in placeincities including disproportionately affected becausethey Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham. relyoncarsortaxis, andthat the ability In London, Transport for London (TfL) of emergencyservicestoreach some wasrequired to institute LTNs as a LTNs: as contentious as Brexit? areashasbeen compromised. Many conditionofits £1.6bn bailout, andmore businesses, meanwhile, saythey have than 70 LTNswere launched betweenMarch and September. been affected becausecustomers can’t park conveniently nearby, further denting pandemic-hit profits. LTNs have tended tomake What are the aims of LTNs? main roads busier, andsomecritics say thatthis promotes aform LTNs aren’t justaimed atrelievingpressure on public transport; of “green gentrification”: leafy residential streets benefit, while they’re also designed to help cut emissions and tackle health poorer main roads suffer (and cyclists, itispointed out, are problemssuch asrespiratoryissues, heart disease and obesity; and disproportionately white, male and well-off). And there’s one to makestreets safer for children.Thereare38.8 million licensed recurring theme: those opposed to the schemes complain that they vehicles in Britain, up fromabout 22 million in 1990. Roadtraffic were introduced on an emergency basis, with littleconsultation. increased from 255 billion miles travelled in 1990 to 328 billion in 2018; in 2019, transport was responsible for athird of all UK Are those criticisms valid? carbon emissions. This, ofcourse, affectsair quality: in London, In some cases, yes. Many journey timeshave undoubtedly been where almost athird of all car journeys made byresidents are lengthened (the pointofLTNs is, after all, to “nudge”people under1.25 miles, air pollutionkills up to 9,500 people each into using their cars less bymaking it less convenient to do so). year. The growth of online deliveries and the use ofsatnavs, Emergency services can beaffectedbythis too; some are working meanwhile, hasdriven more andmore cars onto side roads; traffic with councils toencouragethem to avoidphysical barriers such on London’s minor roads has risen 72% in thepastdecade. as planters in favour of cameras. There have also beensome instances of disabled residents missing hospital appointments or Have LTNs had apositiveimpact? facinglarge fines asaresult of the scheme.But claims that LTNs Studies have shownthat where such schemes are introduced, have anegative impact on businesses are more questionable; there people walk and cycle more, air quality improves, and people is actuallyevidencethat more people walking and cyclingleads to have amorepositiveperception oftheir local area. It’s early greater spending andmorelocalretail space being filled.Effects days for Britain’s LTNs, but TfL says its surveys already show vary fromschemetoscheme, but an impact study of Waltham “consistent improvements” in London. Schemes to cut traffic and Forest’s found thatthough it increased traffic onmain roads in increase cycling have yielded results the shortterm,inthe long termitfell, elsewhere: the LondonBoroughof Twenty minutes to utopia? as people’s habits changed. WalthamForest launched itsown When city leaders in the American city of Portland, version of LTNs in 2013 (see box), Oregon, began promoting the idea of “20-minute Will the schemes survive? and it was expected to see nitrogen neighbourhoods” in 2010, others were quick to take Because of theirunpopularity, more dioxide levels fall by up to 25% by note. The crux of the idea is that most essentials – than one in four councilswith LTNs this year. The health benefits of LTNs work, schools, shopping, healthcare and recreation – have already scrapped or reduced are thought to be so substantial that should be within a20-minute journey on foot, by them,according to The Sunday one Londonhospital trust,Guy’s and public transport or by bicycle. Portland quickly led the Telegraph; ministers have threatened St Thomas’s, hasgiven £250,000 to way, turning some 70 miles of roads into so-called to withdrawcashfromcouncils neighbourhood greenways –residential streets Southwark Council to help fund them. where pedestrians and cyclists have priority. “abusing” the funding.Although introduced rapidly,the schemes must Does everyonewelcomethem? The idea inspired the controversial “mini-Holland” be subject to consultation if they are scheme in London’s Waltham Forest. When first Absolutely not.The meremention launched in 2013, the walking and cycling scheme to be madepermanent. LTNspose of thelettersLTN is “guaranteed to attracted massive opposition from locals, motorists aknotty problem forpoliticians, in make suburban MPsshudder”, says and traders. But seven years on, it has been credited that pollssuggest widespread support Rupa Huq, the MP for Ealing in with helping transform streets once used as “rat- forthem: aYouGov pollinLondon London. The schemes have been met runs” into bustling thoroughfares full of thriving foundthat three timesasmanyhad with fierce oppositionalmost every- shops and cafés, with comparatively low levels of positive views as had negative views where they’ve beenintroduced. People air pollution. It’s amodel others have been keen to of them. Yet the opposing minority with no prior involvement in local follow: Melbourne was an early pioneer, while Paris –often thosewho live on or near politics have joined protestsagainst and other cities announced their own takes on the closed roads –isvociferous and 20-minute neighbourhood in thewake of Covid-19. them,while local socialmedia groups Ironically, the global pandemic may yet prove to be furious. Thecase forcutting caruse is are awashwith complaints about the catalyst for more of us to live alittlemore locally. overwhelming, but such policies need them.Plantersblocking offroads to bringthose affected withthem.

9January 2021 THE WEEK Prices may changeduring this period. £19.95 set-up.

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Selected fibreareas only.Speeds vary by location. For newand existing customers Offerends: 27/01/21. Subject to status. Upfront payment may be required. SkyBroadband Superfast: Selected Fibreareas only.Speedsvary by location. Set-up fee: £9.95 router delivery plus £10 connection fee. Averagespeeds: 59Mbps (download) and 16Mbps (upload). Prices may changeduring your contract. Available to new and existing customerssigning up to separate 18-month terms forSky Broadband Superfast (£25 per month (pm)) and SkyAnytime Extra (£0pm). Standardprices apply after 18 months (currently £32pm forSky Broadband Superfast and £10pm forSky Anytime Extra). Compatible line required, otherwise £20 connection chargemay apply. Joining after04/02/20: SkyHub is loaned to you at no cost,itmust be returned at the end of the broadband subscription. General: Non-standardset-up may cost extra. Prices may vary if you live in aflat. Youmust get any consents required (e.g. landlord’s). UK residential customersonly. Correct at 01/01/2021. Further terms apply. Best articles: Britain NEWS 13

“If youtake away everyone withunderlying conditions, Harold Shipman didn’tkill anyone.”Thattweetfrom comedy producer IT MUST BE TRUE… Grandma and Ed Morrish last week neatly skewers the misguided attempts by I read it in the tabloids lockdown scepticstoplay down theseverity of Covid-19,says Dominic Lawson.Theypooh-poohedthe idea of asecond wave; The mayor of Antwerp, Bart grandpa’s lives De Wever, has been caught they said it waspointlesstowait foravaccine that might never wearing no trousers during matter, too arrive. Andhavingbeen proved utterly wrong on both counts, alive-streamed interview on they nowfall back on another argument: that we make too much Zoom. Four minutes into the Dominic Lawson fuss about Covid deaths as they’re mostly confined to theelderly broadcast, presenter Kim or those with “underlyingconditions” –inshort, people who Debrie told the mayor of The Sunday Times alreadyhave one footinthe grave. Never mind that those“under- Belgium’s second city: “I’m lyingconditions” include treatable complaints such as high blood alittle distracted. You’re pressure with which people can “live fruitfullyfor decades”; or wearing averynice shirt... that actuarialtables show that those who get to 82 –the average But could it be that you are in your underwear?” De Wever age of death from Covid –can expect,without thepandemic, to replied: “How do you know live another nine years. There’s something hideous about this “dis- that?” Then he realised: “I’m missiveattitude” to the valueofelderlylives. It’s what enabled probably sitting in front of a Shipman to getawaywith hiscrimes for as long as he did. mirror,” he said. “I had not taken that into account. The What’s the pointofbeingfirst to approve aCovid vaccine, says year begins with aparticularly Ross Clark, if “you’re not ready to hit the ground runningassoon embarrassing moment.” How delivering as clearance arrives?” Britain hasbeen far swifter than theEUin ordering and authorising vaccines, but it’s squandering the advan- the jab has got tages ofits “crucial head start” through its clumsy,bureaucratic roll-out. It’s absurd that retired medics who answered the call to tied up in tape enlist months agoare still filling in forms. And not just anyforms: theyhave to submit nofewer than 21 qualification documents to Ross Clark prove their proficiencyinconflict resolution, equality andhuman rights, preventing radicalism, data storageawareness and fire The Daily Telegraph safety. This drastically slows things. Israel began vaccinating afort- night after us, yet by last weekend had already inoculated 12% of its people (including40% of theover-60s). Britain hadreached just 1.5%. If eachofEngland’s 7,000 GP surgerieshadone nurse administering a jab everythree minutes, we couldhandle a million vaccinationsinaday. So let’scuttheredtape and get on with it.

It’s my secretwishfor 2021, says John Naughton. WhatIwant ACelineDion superfan is to see Mark Zuckerberg in thedock, with Nick Clegg alongside woke up after adrunken Let’s make it “taking notes”. Andmywish mightjust come true: at long last, night to find that he had officialdom is getting serious about bringing tech giants to heel. changed his name by deed acrime to own In the US, Alphabet, Google’s corporate owner,isfacing antitrust poll to Celine Dion. Thomas suits from38different states.Inthe UK, a new Digital Markets Dodd, 30, a furloughed Facebook Unit may soon have power to clamp down on anycompany that hospitalitymanager, paid exercises market power over a specificdigital activity. Meanwhile, £89 to changehis name after John Naughton the EU is coming up with anewlegal framework tostop thelikes having a few festive drinks of Facebook engaginginanti-competitive practices. But how long and watchingone of her The Observer before any of thisbites? Antitrustcases against Google arelikely Christmasconcerts. He to drag on for years. And as Joe Biden’s top staffchoicesinclude forgotall about the decision “a depressingproportion” offormer tech bigwigs,there’s bound until the documents arrived to bealot of stalling theother sideofthe pond. But thereisone at hishome in Tamworth, way to speed upthe process: do whatthe UStrust-busters did in Staffordshire. “Ijustdon’t the 1930s and makerunning amonopoly a criminal offence. If remember doing it,” he said. Zuckerberg andco. thoughtthatthey mighthavetofacecriminal “I havefears of being pulled charges, that would help to “concentrate minds” in the tech world. over by thepolice... and them asking my name.And Britain used to look askance on referendums, says Matthew Parris. I’m goingtohave to say, yes But in recent yearsthey’ve “pushed theirway” intoour politics, it’s Celine, surname Dion.” Rule by the and we’re soon likelytosee twomore–on Irish unification and on Scottishindependence. Hightime, then, that we set proper Mulling over some of the ground rules: untilnow we’ve largely made them up as we went West Midlands Police’s people needs strangest arrests in 2020, along. The rule chosen forthe 1979 referendum on devolutionfor Inspector Manj Ahir has clearer rules Scotland, for example, wasthat at least 40% of registered voters revealed that one man hid a had to be in favour. (Asthe 51.6% who voted“yes” represented samosa between his buttocks Matthew Parris just 32.9%ofthe electorate,the proposal wasdefeated.)Yet for to try to smuggle it into laterreferendums that rulewas dropped. Rulesonwho canvote custody. The samosa was The Times have beenjustashaphazard.Thus,while Scotslivingabroad found when the unnamed gotnovoteonindependencein2014, Englishpeoplelivingin man was searched after Scotland did. We also need to addressthe problemof“the false being arrested. “He said he binary” that marked the Brexit referendum: far from beingcon- wanted to sneak it into the cell as asnack as he didn’t clusive, avotefor Leave obscured the further choice of what Leave think the food was up to actually implied. So rather than keepmuddling through, let’shold much,” Ahir said. “He’d aformalinquiry to establish some consistent rules. If we’re going obviously not read our posi- to keep using referendums to settle arguments, let’s do it right. tive Tripadvisor reviews!”

9January 2021 THE WEEK 14 NEWS Best articles: International

The crushing weight of Chinese Covid censorship It comesasno surprise that Zhang education” to thank thegovernment Zhanhas received ahefty sentence, for its efforts, Zhang walked through saidPatrick ZollinNeue Zürcher the streets “asking passers-byifthey Zeitung (Zurich). This courageous feltgrateful”. Manyignored her; those citizenjournalisttravelled from her thatdid speakasked her to point the homeinShanghaitoreportonthe camera attheir feet. Shewas arrested confused conditions in Wuhanduring in May, and hasbeen on hunger strike the earlystages of the pandemiclast for much of the timesince. She isthe year. Her “shaky videos” of “chaotic first citizenjournalisttobeconvicted conditions” – overcrowded emergency by China’s notoriously compliant rooms, overworked crematoria and courts – where the conviction rate is desperatepeoplebesieging health higher than 99% –but scores of others officials –“contradicted official havealso been detained. propaganda, whichtried to pretend thateverythingwas under control”. Zhang Zhan: guilty of “provoking trouble” Western opinion-makers shouldstop Last week Zhang, 37, aformerlawyer, exploiting this case, said Hu Xijinin was found guilty of“pickingquarrels and provoking trouble”, the state-run Global Times(Beijing). Zhang hasviolated abroadlydefined offence whichisoften used to stifle dissent. Chinese laws.She wenttoWuhan “to make trouble”, and Although in poor health – she attended thehearingina what’s more, her analysis wasquitewrong. “The systemZhang wheelchair–Zhang was sentenced to fouryears inprison. resisteddecisively controlled the epidemic.” Justcomparethe “China’s rulers are making it abundantly clear that they won’t mortalityrate inChina to the US or Europe.The Communist share their monopolyofopinion with anyone.” Party hasalways ruthlessly repressed dissenting voices, said JeromeA.Cohen in the South China Morning Post.Butthe For a brief period after lockdown was imposed in Wuhan,a severesentence, and Zhang’sbraverefusal to “confess”, make waveofjournalists, professional and amateur, flocked thereto thiscaseremarkable. It showshow sensitive Chinaisabout the “shareresidents’ raw accounts of terrorand fury”, said Vivian origins of the pandemic–which is a matter thatdeeply concerns WanginThe New York Times. InMarch, when Communist us all. Zhanghas effectively martyred herself “inthe cause of Party officials said thatresidentsshould undergo “gratitude freespeech” in China. The world shouldsit up and take notice.

UNITED STATES The problem with America today, says Chris Buskirk, is not that therich are getting richer; it’s that “everyone else is, at best, running to standstill”. Over thelast50years, America’sGDP hasrisen by morethan370% in real terms, andthe DowJonesIndustrial Average hasjumped by some 357%. How to make Yet over that period, real median wages have flatlined. This “disconnect”isthe source of much of today’s politicalrancour. Prior to 1970,wages andlivingstandards rose in line withGDP. Since America rich then,though, productivity–the true engine of growth –has slowed andthe economyhas instead again increasingly beenfuelledbydebt. This has created “a vicious cycle in whichmoneycreation begets assetprice bubbles”,benefitingthose with capital. When the bubbles pop, we floodthe system with American Greatness more liquidity, furtherenriching those at thetop while erodingeveryone else’s buyingpower through (West Palm Beach) inflation. The challenge forpolicymakersinthisnew year is to look beyond thestandardLeft-Right arguments andtofind ways to bring about anew eraofshared prosperitybuilt on improved productivity. If they managed that, “some of our most difficultpolitical conflicts would go away”.

ARGENTINA The overturning ofArgentina’s abortion ban marksalandmark victory for women in Latin America, says El País. The decision follows five years of campaigning by members of Argentina’s mighty “green wave” movement, which brought hundreds ofthousands of people tothe streets to demand theright An inflection to legal abortion inPopeFrancis’s homecountry. The practice is banned in mostLatin American states: in some cases, no exceptions are allowed, even in extreme circumstances such as rape or where point for awoman’s life is at risk. Largely thanks to the dogmatic beliefs of the Catholic Church and Protestant women’s rights evangelicals, manywomen dieorsuffer persecution for something that in most countriesisaright. The estimated halfamillion clandestineabortionsthat take placeinArgentina eachyear cost lives: El País in 2018, 35 women died and 38,000 were hospitalised. Even women who miscarry facesuspicion; (Madrid) someare jailed forlong terms. Yet an attempt in August 2018 to overturn theban was blocked by conservative senators. Thankfully, the electionin2019ofPresident Alberto Fernández,asocial liberal, turned the tide –hecampaigned hardtoend theban. Let’shope it causes adomino effect, and that other Latin American nations end their anachronistic and unjust bans on abortion, too.

UNITED STATES It has been described as “one of themostimportant hacking campaignsinhistory” and“among the greatestintelligence failures of moderntimes”,saysFareedZakaria. Expertswarn that it could be years before America works out the full extent of the recently discovered cyberattacks –widely Cyberattacks attributedtoRussia–on dozens of itscritical computer networks, including those of theHomeland Security, Treasuryand Commerce departments. Almostasworrying as theKremlin’s hacking and psyche operations, however, are itscrude,but insidious, disinformationcampaigns. In 2016,two scholars at Rand Corporationwrote apaper describing Russia’s “firehoseoffalsehood”propaganda model. hacks Verydifferent from Cold War propaganda, this approachmade no effort at consistency or The Washington Post credibility; it merely sought to muddythe waters by bombarding peoplewith messagesdesigned to entertain,confuse and undermine. Wittingly or not,Donald Trumpadopted theRussianmodel, perfecting its techniques during hispresidency. It’s atestament tohis success that, according to a recent poll,60millionAmericans still believe his wild claims of electoral fraud.“The problem is not just that Russia hashacked America’scomputersystems. Itseems to have hackedour minds.”

THE WEEK 9January 2021

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£5.99 | Availableat , OUT WHSmith andselected independent retailers NOW Health &Science NEWS 17 What the scientists are saying... Birthday risk for surgical patients 19, one in five patients inEngland was If you have to go under the knife,itmight still reporting some symptoms, including be a good idea to ask thesurgeon’s date of fatigue, coughs, headaches and loss of birth.Anew study hasfound that patients taste andsmell; and one in ten still had whohaveprocedures on their surgeon’s symptomsafter 12 weeks (twice as many birthday are 20% morelikely to die in as previously estimated).The data was the weeksafter theoperation. For the based on responses collected by theONS BMJ-published research, a team at the Covid-19 infection survey ofpeople in University of California examined data on private households (as opposedtocare 981,000 patients over 65years old who’d homes or hospitals). Some of the hadmajoroperations between 2011 and respondentshadbeen hospitalised with 2014,more than2,000 of which were Covid, butmany hadnot. performed by asurgeon on his or her birthday. They found that the deathrate An early warning for dementia (within30days) for the patients who did Apathy inmiddle agecould be a predictor not have procedures on their surgeon’s for some forms of dementia,scientistshave birthday was 5.6%, whereasitwas 6.9% warned.While easily mistaken for laziness for those whodid.The researchersspecu- or depression, aloss of motivation and late that on their birthdays, surgeons are interest in life has long been associated more likely to bedistracted byphone Communicating with alook withfrontotemporal dementia. The messages, to be chatting to colleagues, or condition isbelieved to be caused by brain to berushing to finish workinorder to get challenge. In nine out of11cases, theroos shrinkage;and scans show that the more to an evening event. However, they stressed –onfinding they could no longer get to acute theapathy,the worsethe shrinkage. that theyhadonlyfound an association; theirtreat–repeatedly gazed fromthe Frontotemporal dementia tendstobe they had not proved thatthe surgeons box tothe human experimenter,asif diagnosed in younger people, aged 45to were distracted, or even thatthe deaths asking for help.“Some of them used 65; but the findings ofalong-term study hadbeen caused by errorsduring surgery. theirnose to nudgethe human,and suggests theapathycan set in before other some started scratchingathim asking symptoms appear. “It’s not the same as Kangaroos “talk” to humans for assistance,” said study co-author beingdepressed.It’sabout that flatness In the hit 1960s TV show Skippy, abush Dr Alexandra Green,ofthe University of and losing energytodothings,”said kangaroo had an uncanny ability to Sydney. Gaze isacommoncommunication ProfessorJamesB.Rowe, of Cambridge communicate withasmall boy. Now, it technique in animals who cannotspeak or University’s Department of Clinical seems thechildren’s drama wasn’t entirely gesture. Cats and dogs oftenstareattheir Neurosciences.Hesaid people who lose fantastical: though kangaroos havenever owners when they want to befed; it may motivation in middle age shouldseek been domesticated, captive roos do try to also be why some dogs stare at their medicaladvice. communicate withpeople, much asdogs owners when they are defecating: they’re andhorses have learnt to do. Researchers vulnerableand asking forprotection. Medical file recruited morethan a dozen kangaroos Acrumpet is alovely treat – but not from zoosand wildlife parks in and One in five has “long Covid” necessarilyahealthy one.The campaign around Sydney, and trained them to More peoplemaybesufferingfrom “long groupAction on Salthas warned that retrieve foodfrom a plastic container. Covid” than previously anticipated, reports an individual Warburtons crumpet Then, they madeitintoan“unsolvable TheIndependent. A new analysis,bythe contains 0.81gofsalt, almost twice as task”, by locking the box – and observed Officefor National Statistics, found that much as in a small portion of McDonald’s how the kangaroos responded to the five weeksafter testing positive for Covid- fries (0.44g).

Hares arewearing the wrong coats Oxygen test unreliable

Mountain hares arestill turning snow- Commonly used oxygen monitoring white in autumn, even though their equipment is less reliable when used on habitat is now often brown untilmuch patients with dark skin. According to a later in theyear. The creatures,which study in the US, oximeters –devices that are commonlyfound in the Scottish clip onto apatient’s finger –are four Highlands, shedtheirbrown fur each times more likely to give adangerously year, in order to blend into the snowy misleading result when used on ablack patient than awhite one. Oximeters landscape. As wintershavestarted later work by passing beams of light through in many areas,other mammal species the blood in the digit, and measuring haveadaptedbymoulting later. Mountain how much light is absorbed. When the hares have not,however: according to a researchers looked at 10,789 cases in new study, patterns of snowfall in the which oximeter readings had been Scottish Highlands have changed The white autumn fur stands out taken at the same time as more reliable dramaticallyinthe past60-oddyears, but test involving ablood sample, they the creatures are still shedding their brownfur around the same timesasthey always found that the oximeter results were did –and as aresult,they arespending65daysayearinthe wrong coat for their misleading in 3% of cases involving white patients, and 12% involving black surroundings, up from around 30 in themid-1950s. It’snot clearwhy the creatures ones. It’s not the first time the devices havenot adapted to climate change. Onepossibilityisthatthey aresimply slower to have been shown to work less well on react thanother species; anotheristhat although white hares stand out on brown people with darker skin; experts are now hillsides, their failure of camouflage isn’t actually harming them,because so many asking if their original trials involved a of their predators havebeenwipedout in order to boost grouse populations. sufficiently diverse sample group.

9January 2021 THE WEEK 18 NEWS Talking points

Pick of the week’s The Union: doomed by Brexit? Gossip Boris Johnsonwill“always be thatreferendums were “not the Prime Minister who finally jolly”, and the nextScottish took Britain out of the EU”, one shouldn’t beheld untilthe HilariaBaldwin,the wife of Hollywood star Alec said Henry Hill on CapX. But 2050s. Yetjust saying no only Baldwin,has long seemed the mannerinwhich he has aidsthenationalistcause. “Itis Spanish: she speaks with a done so could yetsee him asolid grievance andagift for Spanish accent, and gave all remembered for something the SNP.” Johnson maynot five of her children Spanish rather different – breaking up want to havethis debate, but names. Once, on TV, she the United Kingdom. Johnson the unionist parties “needto even seemed to struggle to hashad to acceptanIrish makeanew, positive case for recall the English word for Seaborder that damages the the Union”. acucumber. Yet it has now fabricofthe Union: none of emerged she was actually born in Boston to American Northern Ireland’s MPs It’s clearthatdevolution is at parents, and was called voted forthe Brexit deal, the root of the problem, said Hillary until ten years ago. which will pull the province NickTimothy in The Daily The revelation sparked a firmly into Europe’sorbit. Telegraph. The powers it gave furore on social media – AndinScotland, resentment to the Scottish government are but Baldwin denied any about Brexit “has opened up Sturgeon: will she get Indyref2? insufficient for most Scottish intention to mislead. Her anewfront of constitutional voters, yet are alsounfairto parents loved Spain, she grievance”, said The Times. The SNP will English voters: why should Scottish MPs retain explained, and often took almost certainlywin another big majority in the theirsayover English matterswhen English MPs her there, while her accent changes with her mood. As Holyrood elections in May. Nicola Sturgeon will have no say over such matters in Scotland? The for the cucumber episode, then claim a mandate for anew independence solution is to move to “a fully fledged federal that was just a“brain fart”. referendum; in recent months, 17 consecutive model”,with a federal Westminsterparliament, polls haveshown clear majorities for separation. andaparliament andagovernmentforeach of the four nations, with powersover almostall Even ifshe winsanother landslide, Sturgeon nationaltax policies. Peoplewillgroanatthe will not have that mandate, said Charles thought of another major constitutional reform, Moore inThe Daily Telegraph. Thedecision to “but as Brexit shows, where powerresides grantareferendum restswith the Westminster matters”. Instead of yet more “self-defeating Parliament – and “rightly so, because the devolution”, thiswould be “aself-confidentand consequences affect the whole United comprehensive offer to the peopleofScotland”. Kingdom”. It is not fair to hold another inde- Conservatives know thatifyou value something, pendence votejust sevenyears after thelastone. youmust be prepared to changeit.If Johnson That’s Johnson’s position, anyway, said The values theUnion, anddoesn’t want to lose it Scotsman: he remarked offhandedly last week altogether,“thechange must be great”.

Sophia Loren was pursued The EU: cosying up to China by several of her leading men. But perhaps her Christmas used to be a quiettimefor tradetalks, merely delivers similar trade benefits to those most committed suitor said Alan Beattieinthe FT–apeaceful interval secured bythe “phase one” trade deal struck by was Peter Sellers,who during which“theworld’s negotiators and the Trump administrationwith China last year. grew so obsessed with her lawyers toddled off hometothink of something After ayear inwhichBeijing quashed Hong during the filming of The other than anti-dumpingmargins for aweek or Kong’s democracy movement,extended its Millionairess,that he left his two”.But this festive season was jam-packed “ethniccleansing”ofUighurs inXinjiang, and wife and two children. When with action. Firstcame the Christmas Eve Brexit sought toconceal thespread of Covid-19,it his daughter, then five, deal. Then, at theend of the year, agreement on does seem wrongforthe EU to be “cosyingup” asked if he still loved them, Sellers could only reply: “Of anewinvestment treaty between the EU and to the regime,said Constantin Eckner in The course Ido, darling, just not China. Thelatter deal,seven years in the Spectator. Themoveisdrivenpartly by as much as Sophia Loren.” making, aims to establish alevel playingfield economics–Volkswagen sells almost40% of for European andChineseinvestment in each its cars to China –but also by Europe’s belief The late Sir John Gielgud other’smarkets.For now, it’s hard to make a that,with thepower balance shifting away was famously gaffe-prone, judgement on the contents of the treaty, which is from the US andtowardsAsia, it can’tafford notes fellow actor Peter stillonlyat“abroad political declarationstage”. to take sides against Beijing. Bourke in his memoir. On But the timing of this announcement is certainly one occasion, Gielgudthrew controversial, comingasitdoesjustbeforethe “As an example of realpolitik it’s surelyhardto aparty to introduce his friends to his new boyfriend. inaugurationasUSpresident of Joe Biden, who fault,”saidAris Roussinos on UnHerd. Having But when one of the guests hastalked of workingwith European partners hadits own global pre-eminence destroyedby later remarked how much to resist China’s growing authoritarianism. thetwo great power struggles of the past he had enjoyed meeting century, Europe is understandablyloath to get Rupert, Sir John was So much forthe transatlantic united front, said too involved in thegrowing rivalry between perplexed. “Rupert?” he Edward Lucas in TheTimes. Appeals from Chinaand theUS. Butthe bigquestion, of asked. “Who’s Rupert?” Washington for the Europeanstohold off on the course, is how this“self-interested”analysis can “That was how you dealuntilthey’d hadachance to discuss it with be squared with theEU’s military dependenceon introduced him to me,” the incoming US administration went ignored. theUS. “Beneath the soothingrhetoricthat after the friend replied. “Did I?” asked aflustered Sir John. Matt Pottinger, aMandarin-speaking official Trump everythingwill go back to normal lies “Oh dear. That’s the name in thecurrent administration,saidthe USwas the hard truththat,inanincreasingly multipolar we give his c**k.” “perplexedand stunned” by thedeal. In its global system, theinterests of Europe andthe defence, Brussels hasinsistedthatthe agreement United Statesare growing ever moredivergent.”

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Talking points NEWS 19 Julian Assange: asurprising victory Wit& After sevenyears holedup claimedtohavecome under in theEcuadorean embassy, fire from terrorists. Had the Wisdom andmore thanayear in material not been leaked by HMPBelmarsh,Julian Chelsea Manning, and “Savour kindness Assangeseemedastep closer published by WikiLeaks, becausecrueltyis to freedom thisweek,after a this atrocityand others like always possible later.” judge atthe Old Bailey ruled it would not have come to ArtistJenny Holzer, quoted that hecouldn’t be extra- light. Which is why the US in The New York Times dited to the US to face government has pursued “With agentleman Iam chargesofespionageand Assangesoruthlessly, always a gentleman and a computer hacking. He has bringing charges against him half, and when Ihave to do been denied bail while the that carryamaximumterm with apirate, I try to be a US appeals the verdict – of 175 years: todeter others pirate and a half.” which hadcome asa from publicising the Otto von Bismarck, quoted surprise. Assange’s backers malfeasance of the world’s in The Sunday Times hadassumed he’d lose the Assange on his way to jail in 2019 leading superpower. case, and thejudge did “Not my vegetariandinner, indeed dismiss most of his lawyers’ arguments, Whistle-blowers and journalists arenecessary not my lime-juice minus gin/ including that his activities – releasing classified to anyfreesociety, said The Times. But Assange Quite can drown a faint documents about US operationsinIraq and wasneither. Hisrelease of material stolen from convictionthat wemay Afghanistan, and thousands of diplomatic Democratic Party servershelped Russian efforts be born inSin.” cables–amounted tolegitimate investigative to undermine US democracy;and by “dumping” JohnBetjeman, ibid journalism. But she accepted that theWikiLeaks unredactedcables, he endangered the lives of founder was too mentally fragile to belocked in countless Western agents in repressive regimes. “Remember your humanity; a US “supermax”jail. It wouldbe“oppressive The US hasrepeatedly made thatclaim, but it forget the rest.” to extradite him”,she said. hasnever produced evidence that anyone was Bertrand Russell, quoted harmed, said Patrick CockburninThe in The Times In other words, she cametothe right decision, Independent. And Assange’s central mission – “I like work; it fascinates for the wrong reason, saidOwen Jones in The to find significant information “that may ormay me. Ican sitand look at Guardian.That herruling highlighted the not have beenlabelled secret byself-interested it forhours.” barbarity of the US prison system iswelcome. governments”, andpass it on to thepublic –is Jerome K. Jerome, quoted Butitis worryingthat “no precedenthas been exactly what journalists do,orshould be doing. on GoodReads.com set to protect other whistle-blowers”. Among Unfortunately, too many media outlets have the files released by WikiLeaks wasavideo been far morefocusedonhis imperfect “I can’tsee thesense of showing US aircrew laughingafter killing 12 character,thanonthe threat to press freedom making me aCommander civilians in Iraq in 2007. They had wrongly thecaseagainsthim represents. of theBritishEmpire. They might as well make me a CommanderofMilton Erasmus: an expensive rite of passage Keynes. At leastthatexists.” Spike Milligan, quoted Comparedwith fish quotas and deal might be cut.” Now in The Guardian tradedeals, theend ofBritain’s ministers plantospend£100m participation inthe Erasmus a year onanew programme, “The time to relax is when scheme may seem like “small dubbed the “Turing scheme” youdon’thavetimefor it.” fry”,said JulianBagginiinThe after themathematician Alan Sydney J. Harris, quotedon Guardian.Butfor thehundreds Turing,whichwill send 35,000 TheBrowser of thousands ofBritish uni- young Britons not just to Europe, “Never hate your enemies. versity students who – like me but allaround theworld. The It affects your judgement.” – have been abletobroaden chattering classes arefurious, Michael Corleone, quoted theirhorizons by studying said David JohnstoninThe in TheIndependent abroadthrough the Europe-wide Spectator. Andthat’s not exchange programme,Britain’s surprising. Erasmus was largely “Todie is poignantly bitter, decision to drop out will be a“rite of passage” for“affluent but the idea of having to die keenly felt. Despite the PM’s Broadening horizons abroad? anti-Brexit folk”. One study without having lived is assurance to MPs ayearago foundthat50% of UK unbearable.” that Brexit posed“no threat” to the scheme, participantscame from high-income households, Psychologist Erich Fromm, MichelBarnier,the EU’s chief negotiator, noted and only 14%came from familieswhose income quoted on ArtsJournal.com on ChristmasEve thatitwas theUK was belowaverage. Government’sdecision to withdraw, afterthe Statistics of theweek two sides couldnot agreeonthe cost of Britain’s That’sperhaps unfair, saidMary Dejevskyin continued membership. TheIndependent: theschememade provisionfor Twenty-six of England and Wales’s 43 police forces thedisadvantagedtostudy abroad. Andwe’ll had fewer than ten black Johnson hasdescribed Erasmus as “extremely seehow much betterthe newTuring scheme officers last year. expensive”, said TheTimes –and Britain manages. Nevertheless, it wasprobably time The Times certainlycontributed more in monetary terms for Britain to leave Erasmus. The truth is that than it gotback. It hasbeenanetcontributor, it was “always, at heart, about forming young More than 200 chipmunks to thetune of about £117m per year. For that, Europeans”.AsaRemainer whohas spent were licensed for sale as pets in the UK in 2019, along with 15,000 Britonsstudied in Europe every year, much of her life in Europe, it pains me to say 27 crocodiles. andtwice as many Europeans studied in theUK. this–butwith Brexit “done”,the time may have The Daily Telegraph “Itwas notunreasonabletoask whether afairer come to adopt amore global outlook.

9January 2021 THE WEEK 20 NEWS Sport

Darts: the “pantomime villain” turns into asuperstar Less than adecade ago, Gerwyn Price was a aperformance of oftenstaggering brilliance: in rugby professional who used to playhooker for the sixth set, henarrowly missed a nine-dart leg Neath and the GlasgowWarriors, said James (the darts equivalentofa147 break in snooker) Corrigan in The Daily Telegraph. Today, in and during that set averaged 136.64 – the what must surely rank as one of the greatest ever highest ever in a world championship final. Yet “cross-sport transformations”,hehas ascended his victory was notable notjustfor its emphatic to the top rankofavery different sport. Six manner, but alsofor whatitportends. In recent years after takingthe gameupprofessionally, the times, darts hasbeen dominatedbyMichael van 35-year-old Welshman has won the PDCWorld Gerwen,who hasenjoyed an unbroken stretch Darts Championship, defeating Gary Anderson as World No.1reaching back to 2014. With of ScotlandinSunday’s final. Known as “The this victory, Price displaces the Dutchmanatthe Iceman” because ofhis unflappable finishing, top of the rankings; the sport finally has a “new Price spent mostofthe contest justifying that superstar” capable of challenging his supremacy. moniker:hethrewwith such unerring accuracy he opened up a 6-1 lead. Then all of a sudden, Price: fans “love to hate” him Price may notprove a popular champion, said “assooften happens to first-timers atthe point Gary Jacob in The Times.His brash celebrations of glory”, his assuredness deserted him. On 11 occasions,he at theoche–andregulardisputes with rivals–have madehima missed chances to clinch the match, and Anderson recovered and figure darts fans “love to hate”. That’swhy the absenceofcrowds clawed his way back to 6-3. At 2-2 in an agonisingly tense tenth at this year’s world championship arguably suited him very well, set, a double five gave Price victory. “I’venever felt pressure like said RobMaul in The Sun: hewas able to play his matches that inmylife,”headmitted afterwards. without thechorus of boos and jeers that havefrequently greeted himinthe past. During thefinal, Price toned down some of his Renowned for his “sense of utter certainty”, Price entered the customary excesses, which perhapssignals thathewants to move arena at Alexandra Palace“puffing out his sizeablechest like a on from his role as“pantomime villain”. It will be fascinating to man bargingstraighttothe front of the queue at Sports Direct”, see how fans “greet the reigningworld darts champion when they said Jonathan LiewinThe Guardian.And he proceeded to put in are finally let back in”. Football: Solskjær starts to make his mark at United There are lots ofways in which Ole Gunnar the topofthe PremierLeague, making this Solskjær doesn’t fit the template of asuccessful 21st comfortablytheir best start to a season since Sir Alex century football manager, said Oliver HoltinThe Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Mail on Sunday. The gentle Norwegian rarely rages on thetouchline; there is no cult of personality United’s growing effectivenessunder Solskjær is built around him as there iswith Pep Guardiola, Jürgen on “two fundamentals”, said Jamie Jackson in The Klopp and José Mourinho; he lacks the charisma Guardian: elite-level recruitment and unbending of theborn leader. Perhaps thisexplains why togetherness. The Norwegian has proved an astute consistent carpinghasbeen such afeatureofhis man-manager, standing squarely behind Harry tenure atManchester United, where he succeeded Maguire following his arrest for aggravatedassault Mourinho in December 2018. “Cone-man” and in Greece last summer, andnurturingyoung talents “PE teacher” are among the labels used to denigrate such as Marcus Rashfordand AaronWan-Bissaka. him,and virtuallyevery time Unitedfailtowin a In the Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes, he game, #oleout trends on Twitter. Far more than aPEteacher has brought a genuineworld-class player to the club, while Edinson Cavani,whom he signed on a free But inrecent weeks, such voices have mostly fallen silent, said transfer, looks to be the “bargainofthe season”. True, there is a James Ducker in The Daily Telegraph. United, after finishing third long way to go in this strangely unpredictablecampaign, andit’s last season, are startingtoresemble genuine title challengers. Last far from certain that United will be abletosustain their form: Friday’s pulsating 2-1 win over Aston Villamadeiteight victories they canstillbe“skittish in defence”. But we’re abouttofindout. in their last ten top-flightoutings–“the sort ofrun champions In aweek’s time, Solskjær andhis side will be visitingAnfield:it’s put together”. And it took them levelonpoints with Liverpoolat thestartofapotentially “defining” period forManchester United.

Not such ahappy New Year for sport? Sporting headlines

With ahost of scheduled treats – may well take place in a“pared- Football Manchester City beat not least adeferred Olympics back” form that strips them of Chelsea 3-1 in the Premier and adeferred Uefa Euro 2020 – many of their “peripheral joys”. League. Liverpool lost 2-1 to 2021 was supposed to be the Yet you only have to look at Southampton, meaning joint year that dispelled the traumas of women’s football to see that elite leaders Manchester United the year gone by, said Sean Ingle male athletes are the lucky ones, now have agame in hand. in The Guardian. Alas, the future said Tom Garry in The Daily Ruby union Premiership landscape is now “looking alot Telegraph. Agovernment edict leaders Exeter Chiefs more 2020 than we were labelling every team below suffered their first defeat expecting”. This week, England’s England’s top 23 women’s clubs this season, losing 34-5 to cricket tour of Sri Lanka was Women’s football: banned “non-elite” led to most league Wasps; Leicester Tigers thrown into disarray when Moeen sides shutting up shop even beat Bath 36-31. Ali tested positive for coronavirus; English before the national lockdown. Women’s Tennis Roger Federer pulled football has afast-growing fixture backlog; and football, don’t forget, was banned until 1971: out of the Australian Open – it now seems doubtful whether the Lions rugby back in 1921, the FA had declared the sport scheduled to begin on 8Feb: tour of South Africa will take place as planned “quite unsuitable for females” and outlawed it. he’s recovering from aknee this summer. And though it’s unlikely the What an irony that, half acentury after that half- operation. He will get back Olympics or the Euros will be called off –both century ban was lifted, “thousands of women on tour after the season’s have too much money riding on them –they find themselves forbidden to play once again”. first major tournament.

THE WEEK 9January 2021 oom e Gloom

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Gift limited to the first50subscribers. Please allow28daysfor delivery,UKonly.Dennis Publishingreservesthe right to limitoffers of thiskind to one per household. LETTERS 23 Pick of the week’s correspondence

St Andrew’s cross Exchange of the week things bigly and kindly.” To The Times Dr Patrick O’Sullivan, In aCommons debate last Keeping aclear head Liskeard, Cornwall week, IanBlackford, parliamentary leader ofthe To The DailyTelegraph Covering vaccinators SNP, declared that “Scotland is Good to see modern science catching up with Sherlock Holmes To The Daily Telegraph at heart a Europeannation”, (“Wanttoclear your head of a thought? Justforget it, say What’s the main problem with and indeed thatshe had been scientists”). retired doctorshelping the such since well before the Acts In AStudy inScarlet (1887), Holmes is quizzed byDr NHS bycarryingout Covid of Union in 1707. The SNP Watson onhis lack of general knowledge. On beingtold by vaccinations? Indemnity. seems to have acquiredthis Watson something he didn’t know – that the Earth travels As aretired senior medical insight somewhatrecently. around the Sun – Holmes thanks his friend, and says: partnerwho taught young In the 1975 referendum it “I shall do my best to forget it... Iconsider that a man’s brain doctors how to carryout wasthe only majorparty in originallyislike a littleempty attic... The skilful workman is injections,Icontacted the Scotland torecommend leaving very careful indeed as to whathetakes into his brain-attic. He Medical Defence Union and the European Community. willhavenothing but the toolswhich may help him indoing asked if I wascovered against Voters areentitled to an his work... It is of the highest importance,therefore, notto claims shouldapatient I explanationofwhythe SNP haveuseless facts elbowing out theuseful ones.” vaccinatedagainstCovid changed its mind. Dare one Rob White,London suffer, for example, an suggest that dislike of England anaphylactic reaction. The rather thanlove for Europe has To The DailyTelegraph answer is that, now Iamno been its motivating force? Alan Bean, thefourth man to walk on the Moon, hadamore longer on the medical register, Vernon Bogdanor, professor radical method for freeing up his memorythanHolmes. When Iamnot coveredbythe MDU. of government, King’s College, training for his Apollo 12 mission, he refused to committo So, shouldsuch adisaster London memorythe namesofthe dignitaries at PRevents. His fear occur, I would be on my own. was thatremembering the name of a mayor’swife, for This needs to besortedout Ahollow salute to nature example, mightpushimportantinformation out of his brain, with some degreeofurgency. To The Guardian and he would forget how to assist in landing the lunar module. Keith Barnard-Jones, Ihave been struck by the His approach worked.Shortly after launch, the Saturn V Dorchester disconnection between the rocketwasstruck by lightning andthe electrical systemfroze. lockdown eulogies about Beanwas the only crew member able to follow the instruction Some names are... “nature” and the indifference from Mission Controltoswitch “SCE to Aux” – which,much To The Times to the fate of“wildlife”. Ilive like a Windows restart, rebooted thesystem and savedthe While empathisingwith the in London, where grateful mission. Bean retired fromNasa in 1981 to pursuealong and Harewoods, Belvoirs and locals have open spaces and successful career as an artist, specialising in reproducing the Cholmondeleys et al (“I give accesstonature. Butmylocal sightshehad seen onthe Moon. Thanks to his cunning plan up,says mispronounced earl”), common is now laced with to train hisbrain, he retained ahuge number ofimages, Iwonderifthey have con- newlycreatedpathspenetra- resulting in a magnificent body of work.Heremainsthe only sidered the greater assaults ting areaspreviously left to professional artisttohave walked on another celestial body. we Highlanders havefaced wildlife. Walkers ignore notices MartinStern,Dunmow,Essex over the years. Urquharts, to avoidthese, and many allow Colquhouns, Menzies, their dogs to chase the wildlife. the way of development, but weather willfurther threaten Farquharsons, Mackays–and Separating the idea of nature if wecan’t save the newts, the country’s food security, a even Macleans. If we have from wildlife is hugely proble- we can’tsavenature. matter of intenseconcern to givenupwincing, it’s because matic. Boris Johnson is fullof Professor Ros Coward, the Chinese Communist Party. we arebattle-hardened. fine words about natureand London The party knows all that. Mind you,I’ve given up how this Government will Our negotiators thereforeenter orderinganything by phone. protect it. Butthe realityis China’s climate issue meetings with farstronger ColinW.D.McLean,Norwich that, under this Government’s To The Times cards than you imply. They stewardship, an avalanche of Yourcommendableeditorial should playthem. ...harder to pronounce damagingdevelopments have on China’sriseends witha Charles Parton, senior To The Times been unleashed,destroying climate change whimper. associate fellow, RoyalUnited Idon’t knowwhat allthe fuss important habitats. This Behind the call to “persuade” Services Institute is about. includes theallocation of Chinatocut emissions, andto FrancesLuczyc-Wyhowska, 6,000 houses to the precious resistChinese manipulation of The origins of bigly London peatland of Carrington Moss; “the West in return for To The Guardian permission forecologically notional concessions at the Sorry to deprive destructive road-building COP26 conference this year”, DonaldTrump of like theWensumlinkin lies theassumption that we are creditfor coining Norfolk; andpermission to the supplicants –that the effects “bigly” (“Alternative industrialise Kent’s last of climatechangewillbefelt facts,witch-hunt,bigly: wilderness, Graveney Marshes. most heavily by democracies. the Trump era in 32 HS2isthe ultimatesymbol All people in theworld are words andphrases”), of what is happening across supplicants,becausethe crisis butin1872 the great the country –ancient affects us all.But none more designer andpoet woodlands andimportant than China.Its populationis William Morris habitats bulldozed, causing heavilyconcentrated on the wrotetohis friend immense grief to thelocals easternseaboard.The water Aglaia Coronio: “O wholovethem. supply of cities such as howIlong to keep the “Groomed online? What do you mean?” Johnsonhas said he won’t Shanghai is already subject to world from narrowing let “the newt counters”get in saline intrusion. Extremes of on me,and to look at ©JONESY/PRIVATE EYE

● Letters have been edited 9January 2021 THE WEEK 24 Marketplace

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THE WEEK 9January 2021 To advertise here please email classifi[email protected] or call HenryHaselock 020 3890 3900 ARTS 25 Review of reviews: Books

Book of the week Sandbrook in The Sunday Times. Although life was hellish for mostof Black Spartacus the colony’s slaves, Louverture was relatively fortunate: he waseducated by Sudhir Hazareesingh by Jesuit missionaries, and was Allen Lane 464pp £25 granted freedominthe 1770s – The Week Bookshop £19.99 whereuponhe“promptly took out a lease on a coffee plantationand owned at least one slave himself”. When a Toussaint Louverture, the subject of slave uprising broke outin1791, Sudhir Hazareesingh’s“remarkable” Louverture“rose inexorably to the biography, was the architect of the fore”, becoming the rebels’chief only successful slave revolt in history, military commander. However, this said Ben Horowitz in the FT. In the didn’tprevent him, three years later, 1790s, he spearheaded a crusade in striking a deal with France’s radical the Frenchcolony ofSaint-Domingue first republic, which had announced (now Haiti) that led to halfamillion Louverture, by Louis de Girardin (1805) that it wasabolishing slavery. He slavesbeingemancipated, andthe became Saint-Domingue’slieutenant country’s independence. Youmight expect such afigure to be governor,and helped defend thecolony against rival imperial a household name – yet his story is strangely “under-reported”. powers–including the Spanish and the British. One reasonfor thisneglect is that it is “far fromeasy to tell”. Over thenextdecade, Louverture “emerged asthe colony’s Evidenceabout his earlylife is patchy, and he wasa“seemingly uncontested strongman, and broughtitto the brink of contradictory” figure–anagitator for independence who became independence”,said David A. Bell inThe Guardian. Yetin1802, a French general, andafreedom fighter with authoritariantend- he became avictim of Napoleon Bonaparte’sdesire to “reassert encies. Hazareesingh, an Oxford don, has taken this “impossibly full French control”.Invited to a parley with French forces, he complex history”and woven itintoa“narrative that reads like was arrestedand transportedtothe “cold, lonely Fort de Joux, fiction”. Black Spartacus is “perhaps the sharpestportrait yet” of in the JuraMountains ofFrance”, where he died in 1803 – ayear the man he dubs the “firstblack superhero of themodern age”. before Haiti became an independent republic. Both a “remarkable Louverturewas born atsome point between 1736and 1746 job ofresearch” and an “extraordinarily grippingread”, this is an on a plantation in the north of Saint-Domingue, said Dominic impressively “complete, authoritative and persuasive biography”.

Mozart by Jan Swafford Novel of the week Faber 832pp £30 Memorial The Week Bookshop £23.99 (incl. p&p) by Bryan Washington Atlantic 320pp £14.99 In the centuries since hisdeath, apopularimage The Week Bookshop £11.99 of Mozart hascrystallised, saidTim Page in The Washington Post –ofa“doomed wunderkind” BryanWashington is ayoung American writer whowas “misunderstood by his contemporaries” whoseworkhas been praised by bothBarack before being laid in a “pauper’s grave”. In his Obama andAlan Hollinghurst, said Johanna admirable andlively biography, Jan Swafford Thomas-Corr in TheSunday Times. Memorial, sets out to counterthis “sentimental tragedy”. hisfirst novel, centres on a“deteriorating Mozart, he suggests, was “fundamentallyahappy romance betweentwo twentysomething men”. man”.Born inSalzburgin1756, he wasthe son Benson is ablack teacherwho lives with Mike, of a mediocreviolinistnamed Leopold who ruthlessly exploited his children’s aJapanese-Americancook, in Houston. The talents,said Jessica DucheninThe Sunday Times.With Maria Anna, his elder storybegins with Mike’s mother, Mitsuko, sister, Mozart was dragged throughthe royalcourts and capitalsofEurope, with flying in fromJapan just as Mikedecides to Leopold pocketing allthe proceeds.Nonetheless, hischildhood washappy,and fly to Japantovisithis estranged, dying father. he latersettled into contented family life in Vienna,marrying ConstanzeWeber Forced to share aone-bedroomflat, Benson in 1782.It’s true that Mozart suffered from money troubles, butwhenhedied andMitsuko“form agrudging trust”, while in he wasonthe verge of being rich –and he wasonlyinterredinacommon grave Osaka, Miketries to connect“with histaciturn outside Vienna because of the health regulations of thetime.Mozart’s “great- father”. Although the prose canbe“alittleflat”, heartedlove for life” shines out fromSwafford’s book,which renders itssubject this is atenderand “often profound” work. “sovivid, so real, so roundedthat youfeelyou could shake hands with him”. Washington’s restraintisvery impressive, Swafford,acomposer as well as an academic,isalsoanexcellentguide to said IanWilliamsinThe Guardian. He “does Mozart’s music, said Lloyd Schwartz in TheWallStreetJournal. He delights in not indulge character andvoiceattheexpense stories of Mozart’searly precocity–composing hisfirst symphony aged eight– of plot”;he’sfunny without “clowning around”. andhis descriptions of Mozart’scompositions contain manyan“unforgettable He’s alsopenetratingabout the“provisional” turn of phrase”. Millions of wordshave been writtenabout Mozart, and natureofmodern life, said John Self in The Swafford’s book “can’t quite dispel thefeeling that the ground beneath it is Times.“Memorial confirms Washington as a fairlywell-trodden”, said Paul Kildea in TheSpectator. Nonetheless, this writer notjusttowatch,but to read now.” biography tells the storywith clarity, expertise and“greatempathy”. To order thesetitles or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk or speak to abookseller on 020-31763835 Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday10am-4pm

9January 2021 THE WEEK 26 ARTS Podcasts... from early sound to prime ministers

The remarkable Centuries of Queen Victoria, one of the stupidest Sound podcast is a“museum of all monarchs (“and that’s quite piped straight into your ears”,said an achievement”). Benjamin Fiona Sturges in the FT. Released Disraelihemerely despises asa monthly, itconsists of“audio “corrupt toadie. It’s good someone collages” forevery yearsincethe is still thisangry about Victorian dawn of recorded sound, compiled politics.” Another standout “with passion, care and a nerdy episode is Rachel Sylvester’s attention to detail by the “unsparingprosecution” of that Cambridge-based sound artist other morally-drivenPM, Theresa andlanguagesteacher James May. Incredibly, itmakes her Errington”. He hasbeen working administration seem even more forwardsfrom1859, and has so shambolic than it did atthe time. far gotto1931. The “audio treasuretrove” forthatyear, Unfinished, from Witness Docs, is when America was in the grip an investigative seriesthat digsinto of the Great Depression, yetits America’s “unfinished business”, culturewas booming,includes said Sarah Larson inThe New Cab Calloway singing Minniethe William Gladstone: asubject of the splendid The Prime Ministers Yorker. The firstseries, Deep Moocher, Gandhi, andanaudio South,explored the 1954 lynching clip from Dracula featuring Bela Lugosi. Go back earlier, andyou of Isadore Banks, ablack landowner inArkansas. The second, canhearaghostly voice singing Au clair delalune in 1860; and Unfinished:Short Creek, which completedits runinNovember, from 1888 the muffled voice of William Gladstone. was one of the best podcasts of last year. Its hosts, Ash Sanders andSarahVentre, spent morethanfour years studying a William Gladstoneisthe subject of one ofthe stand-out episodes community of fundamentalist, polygamist MormonsinShort of IainDale’s excellent podcast The Prime Ministers,said James Creek, on the Utah-Arizonaborder,whose leader WarrenJeffs Marriott in The Times.Each consists ofaninterview with one of is now servingalife sentence for sexually assaultingtwo minors. the journalists andacademics who contributed essays to Dale’s Made with “sensitivity andcare”, their exploration ofthis recent book of the same title.Inthe Gladstoneinstalment, Simon “cultlike situation” neverfeels voyeuristic. The interviews are Heffer is on splendidly “opinionated” form. He lauds Gladstone “intimateand powerful” –and thewhole thing is enhanced by as a “titanic moral figure”and the mostintelligent ofall British excellent sound design, which includes a “lovely,subtle score and PMs, while lamentingthatthe greatLiberal needed to manage the sounds of children singing about Church elders”. Albums of the week: three new releases Mark Simpson: The Taylor Swift: Geysir, and Avalanches: Evermore Mozart: “Gran We Will Always Republic Partita” K.361 Love You £11.99 Orchid Classics Universal £13.50 £11.99

The clarinettist and composer Mark “Where can you find Mick Jones of The “Honestly, we should have seen this one Simpson conceived his 2013 work Geysir as Clash singing alongside the late Karen coming,” said Claire Shaffer in Rolling acompanion piece to Mozart’s vast K361 Carpenter? Or little Jimmy Osmond Stone. Not content with dropping one Serenade in Bflat,the “Gran Partita”, said serenading ahippo called Hugo while surprise album in 2020 –the “outstanding” Fiona Maddocks in The Observer. This Neneh Cherry raps about the end of the Folklore –TaylorSwift released, in the run- exceptional recording of them –the playing world?” The answer, said Neil McCormick up to Christmas, Evermore,a17-song “buoyant, nimble, expansive” and elegant – in The Daily Telegraph, is on this “dream” collection styled as a“sister record” to has leapt straight onto my best albums of of an album by Melbourne DJs Robbie the former album. Here, we find her 2020 list. Geysir is scored for the same Chater and Tony Di Blasi (recording as The collaborating again with The National’s ensemble as the Mozart: pairs of oboes, Avalanches). Working with an impressive Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon clarinets, basset horns and bassoons; four cast of collaborators (Johnny Marr, Tricky on afolk-infused album packed with horns and double bass. It “bubbles and and the Flaming Lips, among many others) “unexpected experiments, ambitious story boils” towards a“climactic eruption, before the duo “blend and reshape” old samples songs and moments of narrative myth- subsiding back to where it began”. to create brilliant “surrealist montages with making that often turn the lens back on Geysir is a“fascinating, accessible” work acharacter of their own”. herself”. And once again, it’s atriumph. that references Mozart’s themes but is more It took the duo 16 years to follow up the The albums may be sisters, but they “unruly and wild”, said Graham Rickson on “dazzling cut-and-paste alchemy” of their “aren’t twins”, said Hannah Mylrea on NME. The Arts Desk. It proves an “ideal curtain- dance debut, Since ILeftYou,said Phil If Folklore is an “introspective, romantic raiser” for the Mozart, which is beautifully Mongredien in The Observer. This third older sister, Evermore is the freewheeling rendered here by starry woodwind soloists. album, amere four years in gestation, younger sibling”. On the first record, Swift’s “You’ll swoon at the clarinets and basset marks afurther “step away from the dance “masterful” songwriting was spun through horns in the Trio of the second-movement floor and into the sort of multilayered, a“very specific” sonic palette. Evermore minuet, and at the beautifully paced adagio blissed-out psychedelia associated with feels “looser”. It builds on the “stylistic leap which follows”, in which Nicholas Daniel’s Tame Impala and MGMT”. It is “an of faith” that Folklore represented, with oboe line soars “above awarm bath of immersive and rewarding album to go back “more experimentation, charm and musical horns and bassoons”. to again and again”. shades at play”. It’s ajoy. The Week’s own podcast, The Week Unwrapped,covers the biggest unreported stories of the week (available on Apple and Google)

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Film and TV 27

Films to stream New releases

Pixar’s new animated movie Soul Soul (seereview, right) stands Dirs: Pete Docter andKemp Powers in a long tradition offilms (1hr40mins) (PG) about the afterlife, including ★★★★★ afewtruecinematic From its first feature–1995’s Toy Story – masterpieces. Here are some onwards,Pixar hasnever been shy of tackling of those worthseeking out: the bigquestions. In Soul, the animation studiotakes on thegreatest of them of all – AMatter of Lifeand the meaning oflife,said Clarisse Loughrey Death Powell and in The Independent, and it does so with all the Pressburger’s 1946fantasy “beauty”,“humour” and “heart” for which it remains one of the richest and has become known. Pixar’s first film with an most imaginative British films African American protagonist is about a New ever made. An RAF pilot York jazz pianist, Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), (David Niven) falls inlove who isscraping a livingasahigh school Soul: beauty, humour and heart with an American radio teacher while longing for success as a operator (Kim Hunter) just performer.Then, moments after being booked observed tribute to the glossystudio before hebails out of his for a potentially life-changing gig, he falls down romancesofthe 1950s,said Benjamin Lee in plane without aparachute. amanhole. His soul ends up inThe Great The Guardian.With its gorgeousproduction He was supposed to die,but Beyond, afuzzy pastelafterlife; but such is his design and “grand emotional stakes”, it mimics the guide sent to escort him desperation to realisehis dream,hemanages the era’s genre conventionsinall respects but to the Other World misseshis to slip back to Earth with another soul named one –the factthat itsleadingcharactersare body inthe thick fog. 22 (a “delightfully irritating”TinaFey),who African American. It is 1957 and Sylvie(Tessa has neveroccupiedaphysical bodybefore. Thompson) worksinher father’s Harlem Orphée Jean Cocteau’s 1950 recordstore while dreaming of becomingaTV retelling of the Greekmyth of The metaphysical logic governing the plot is producer. There, shecatchesthe eye of Robert Orpheus isadreamlike film “complicated”,said Peter BradshawinThe (Nnamdi Asomugha), ajazzsaxophonist, who shot through with dry Guardian. Joe musthelp 22find her “spark” – wanders in looking for aThelonius Monk humour,teasing reflections the inspiration needed to sustain her earthly record. But sheisalready engaged to be on the natureofthe artist’s existence –atask made harder when they end married, andhis careertakes him to Paris – calling, and simplebut up in thewrong bodies. Theirmission takes in andsofor six years, they wander in andout hypnoticspecial effects. atalking therapy cat, an astral hippy and more. of each other’s lives, as circumstances conspire It is “head-spinning”, and sometimes“exasper- to preventtheir “happily everafter”. Defending YourLife Albert ating”, and yet very “sweet”. The film is also Brooks directs andstarsin visually “ravishing”, said Ed Potton in The The filmcarriesapowerful politicalcharge, this satirical 1991 romcom Times, its art deco-inflected vision ofthespirit said Danny Leigh in theFT–simply because about a neurotic advertising world “hypnotic”, its New York rich in detail. it imaginesaworld in which the “lush executive who falls inlove And it combines atranscendent emotional contours”ofa1950s melodrama might have with an apparently saintly charge with what feels like an “authentic” been “availabletoblack lives on the same woman (Meryl Streep)while depictionofAfrican Americanculture, from straightforward terms as if they were white”. stuck in abland modern the “hustle of the Greenwich Village jazz scene” It hasbeencalled“glib” in some quarters, version of purgatory. Her to barbershop repartee. Available onDisney+. said Deborah Ross in The Spectator, but it progress toahigher plane made me reflect, “cringingly”, on allthe films of existence seems assured Iloveinwhich theonly black characters are –hisdecidedlynot. Sylvie’s Love maidsorshoeshine boys with no apparentlives Dir: Eugene Ashe (1hr56mins)(12) of their own. Andthough it suffers from afew After Life In HirokazuKore- ★★★★ pacing issues, it’s acharming,heartwarming ) eda’s low-key 1998 drama, “A handsomely made love story that’s easy to film,lovelytolookat, andwith a“soaring” COCO inspiredbyhisgrandfather’s fall in lovewith”, Sylvie’s Love is a brilliantly soundtrack. AvailableonAmazon Prime. neurologicaldecline, recently- deceased souls enter ahotel-

), AND DISNEY+ ( like building where they must TheSerpent:serial murderonthe Asian hippy trail

COCO choose asingle moment from It’s not an “edifying watch”, are “unreadable” behind their AND theirlives to re-create, film andcarry with them for but the BBC’s new true-crime sunglasses, “an international jet eternity. Therest of their life drama series The Serpent offers set Barbie and Ken”. “a convincing glimpse of evil”, Sobhraj was nicknamed The will be forgotten. said Victoria Segal in The Sunday Serpent because he was so good

DEFENDING YOUR LIFE Times. On the Asian hippy trail at “slithering away from the law”, Coco Desperate to be a in 1975 –when “utopian 1960s said Rebecca Nicholson in The musician, aMexican boy dreams” have given way to Guardian. Iwas interested to learn ventures into the underworld “getting stoned in grotty hostels” that his crimes were made easier to undo theancestral sinthat –the charismatic serial killer by the lack of official interest in led his family to forswear Charles Sobhraj (Tahar Rahim) the fate of “feckless” hippies. In musicforever. Inspired by snares trusting backpackers by other respects, though, the drama Mexico’s Dayofthe Dead posing as agem dealer. Offering left me cold. It’s regrettable that it hospitality at his Bangkok house, Rahim: “watchful menace” so glamourises Sobhraj, said festival, Pixar’s remarkably he robs and kills them with the Hugo Rifkind in The Times. For watchable animation from complicity of his girlfriend Marie-Andrée one thing, the killer (now in jail in Nepal) was 2017 exploresideas about Leclerc (Jenna Coleman). Rahim exerts a nothing like as handsome as Rahim. Ican’t say culture, memory andfamily. “watchful menace”, but the pair Ididn’tenjoy the drama; but Ifelt Ishouldn’t. THE FILMS ARE AVAILABLE ON APPLE TV, AMAZON, GOOGLE PLAY (

9January 2021 THE WEEK 28 ARTS Art

The big exhibitions of 2021: apreview After the closures and cancellations of 2020, this year –Covid permitting –promises awide range of major exhibitions he National Gallery’s commissions will be installed T2021 schedule includes at in unlikelyvenues: previous least one guaranteed block- biennials have featured buster: Dürer’s Journeys: displays ofartists’ workina Travels ofaRenaissance disused electricity substation, Artist (6 March-13 June). an ABC cinema and a Featuring 100 drawings, Chinese restaurant. paintings, printsand documents, the show will ate ModerninLondon be thefirst to focus on the Twill host amajor Nuremberg-born master exhibition devoted to Albrecht Dürer’stravels to Auguste Rodin. TheMaking Italy andthe LowCountries, of Rodin (29 April- where he metartists and 30 October) will highlight thinkers and marvelled atthe the important of plaster treasures shipped to Antwerp casting inthe sculptor’s art, from Spain’s American and will feature over 200 colonies. Dürer recorded his works.The Bankside forays beyondBavariainhis museum will also host one diaries, sketching constantly of contemporaryart’s cult and noting down his figures, showingthe Japanese observations to provide a artistYayoiKusama’s richly detailed account of Paula Rego’s The Dance (1988): “Britain’s greatest living artist”? Infinity Mirror Rooms 16thcentury life.Book early: (29March-27March 2022). this is the firstmajorDürer exhibitionin in paintings from every stage of his career, Kusama’s idiosyncratic mirror installations this country fornearly 20 years. the show suggests that Bacon felthecould –offering a vision ofendlessreflections – best understandhuman nature by have become something of a phenomenon he 18th century is particularlywell- observingthe often vicious, unfiltered in the Instagram age. Trepresented inthis year’s exhibition behaviour of animals. Ahighlight will be calendar. Tate Britain’s Hogarth and his trio of bullfight paintings (left),which Europe (3 November-20 March 2022) will willbeexhibited together for the firsttime. explore William Hogarth’sdepictions of London life alongside contemporary ollowing Bacon’sdeath, the unofficial paintingsofsimilar scenes created in Paris, Fmantle of “Britain’s greatest living Amsterdam and Venice. Although Hogarth artist” arguably felltoPaula Rego,who is sometimesthought of as anarrowly is to be the subject ofahugenew English artist, he was alert to artists retrospective atTate Britain(16 June-24 ploughing a similar furrow onthe October).The exhibitionwill feature more continent, and mined their work for than 100 paintings, collages, sculptures inspiration just as they borrowed from his. and drawings created between the1950s and thepresentday, movingfrom the more abstract styleofher early career, to her celebrated depictions of folktales from her native Portugal. In particularitwill imilarly celebratedisthe performance focus on Rego’sgroundbreaking approach SartistMarina Abramovic, whoistoget to depicting the femaleform. her first ever UK retrospectiveattheRoyal Academy inthe autumn (25 September-12 nother must-see is the British December). Marina Abramovic: After Life AMuseum’sexploration of the life and willfeatureawealthofarchival material, legacy of the Emperor Nero (27 May-24 installations andoften uncomfortably October). Nero, whoascendedthe throne intense films–some specially aged 16 in AD54and died just 14 years commissionedfor the show–tracing the later, is oneofhistory’s mostinfamous Belgrade-bornartist’s progress from the rulers,his few achievements overshadowed 1970s,when she came to prominence by his wantoncruelty, grandiose building with performance art which pushed her projects andextravagantpersonaltastes. to physical andmentalextremes, to the The show, however, will takeamore headline-grabbing spectacles for which she nuanced view of hisreign,presenting a has more recently become worldfamous. wealth of artefacts, andinvitingvisitorsto decide whether he really wasthe tyrannical he V&ADundee, meanwhile, is to monster of legend. Tmountanexhibition devotedtothe evolutionofnightclubdesign since the or fansofcontemporary art, the11th 1960s. Night Fever (from 27 March)will tthe Royal Academy, Francis Bacon: Fiterationofthe Liverpool Biennial – examine thepowerfuleffectsclub culture AManand Beast (spring, datestbc)will originallyscheduled for2020, nowdue to has hadonsociety at large: how, from examine theartist’s lifelong interest in open on 20 March –willfeature thework Studio 54 in NewYorktoManchester’s animals, demonstratingthatwhile he was of dozensofmajorinternational artists legendary Haçienda,tothe Ministryof far from an animal lover –hehateddogs– displayedthroughoutthe city’s museums, Sound in London,clubs became epicentres he wasdeeply fascinated by them.Taking galleries andlandmark structures. Special of popculture. AULA REGO; THE ESTATE OF FRANCIS BACON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, DACS/ARTIMAGE 2020; MARCO ANELLI ©P

THE WEEK 9January 2021

The List 29

Best books… Carmen Callil The Archers: what The publisher and writer chooses five novels that inspired Oh Happy Day: happened last week Those Times and These Times (Jonathan Cape £18.99), her account of the Tracy is glum after her break- lives of her great-great-grandparents in early 19th century England up with Roman but Oliver cheers her up. Freddie takes GreatExpectations by War. Lyrical, compelling, the romance, a sexy melodrama, charge of the Christmas Show. Charles Dickens,1861 kind of novelthatonce read, thearchetypalnovel about a David’s dreading his drink (Wordsworth Classics £2.50). changesone’s memoryand young woman alone, making with Vince, but it goes better The story of Pip and his perspective forever. her way in19th century than expected; Vince says aspiration to become a England. Passionate, yearning he’s serious about Elizabeth. Leaving for his Mum’s, Gavin gentleman, and Magwitch Frost inMay by Antonia andindomitable Jane–plain tells Kirsty that Philip has the transported convict,says White,1933(Virago £9.99). A but beautiful, as are most ofus been lying to her all along. allthatneeds to be said about perfect account of a Catholic –the embodiment of all human Kirsty thinks Philip is having the English social pyramid. convent childhood–atale that longingforjusticeand love. an affair, and later confronts How did Dickens address couldapply, however, to any him. He finally tells her about such themes at the same time religion. Religious child abuse The Redundancyof the workers, putting a spin on as grabbing our hearts and is not always physical and Courage by Timothy Mo, things, but Kirsty isn’t fooled. making us laugh? White knew everythingthere 1991 (Paddleless Press £7.99). Roy arrives during their is to know about that. Nanda, Oneofthe bestbooks Ihave argument and Kirsty tells him to call the police. When they Beloved by Toni Morrison, her heroine, triessohard to ever read about the after-effects arrive, Philip gives himself up. 1987 (Vintage £9.99). Possibly conform, seems to be of European empires on the Tracy and Jazzer have another the greatestnovel ever written defeated, but rises to live countries theyinvaded, andall run-in and Susan teases Tracy about theUSand its again: but this is funny too, thebetterbecauseits hero is that he fancies her. Kirsty corrosive inheritance from andbeautifully written. no freedomfighter,but amost spends Christmas at Roy’s, slavery, told through the imperfecthuman being.The where Phoebe comforts her. lives of Setheand her Jane Eyre by Charlotte weak can becourageous and Philip’s ex-wife Rhiannon calls daughter Beloved, in the Brontë, 1847(Wordsworth take onbullies. Even during Kirsty to say Gavin is missing years following the Civil Classics £2.50). Athrilling revolutions, one can laugh. and reveals more truths about Philip, who’s on bail. Freddie’s Titles in print are available from The Week Bookshop on 020-3176 3835. For out-of-print books visit biblio.co.uk Christmas Show is deemed a great success – even Trustees’ chair Bernard is impressed. The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching Peggy tells Chris she knows about Alice’s drink problem Programmes and warns him from her own Spiral The final season of the acclaimed series experience of living with an about ateamofParisian police and prosecutors. alcoholic. After getting stuck Sat 9 Jan, BBC421:00 and22:00 (60mins each; in the cricket pavilion, Tracy previousepisodes availableoniPlayer). and Jazzer have a New Year kiss. Kenton addresses the Happy BirthdayMrBean Documentary crowd gathered for the quiz, and Lynda reveals she’s been celebrating 30 years of Rowan Atkinson’scomic awarded an MBE. During creation, including classicclips andinterviews the quiz, DC Tanners arrests with RichardCurtisaswell as Atkinson himself. Kirsty on suspicion of human Sun10Jan,ITV1 20:00(60mins). trafficking. Roy tells a stunned David and Kenton about Philip using slave labour. The Pembrokeshire Murders Three-part Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean true-crime drama. When two unsolved double murder cases are reopened, anewly promoted that ahousing bubbleinthe US is aboutto detective finds himselfonthehunt foraserial cause the 2008 financial crash. Sat9Jan,BBC2 Coming up online killer. Mon11, Tue 12 and Wed 13Jan, ITV1 23:30(125mins). With mostreal-lifecultural 21:00(60mins each). activity suspended again, The Destry Rides Again (1939) In this classic National Theatre has Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema The Western comedy, new deputy (JamesStewart) launched aback-catalogue of film critictakes alook at theparticular arrives to clean up the lawlesstownof its past hits, including Othello characteristicsofBritish comedy. Mon11Jan, Bottleneck. Among itshighlights is Marlene withAdrian Lester and Phèdre BBC4 21:00(60mins). Dietrich singing her famous version of TheBoys withHelen Mirren. Subscribe in the Back Room.Tue 12 Jan, Film4 14:30 or payper event (ntathome. The Truth About… GettingFit at Home (110mins). com). Recorded in itsempty With gyms closed in manyareas, Mehreen Baig theatre, TheOld Vic’s In investigates whichkinds of home exercise ¡Three Amigos! (1986) Awashed-up trio of Camera production of Brian programmes work –and whichare best avoided. silent movie stars is invitedtoMexico,where Friel’s Faith Healer –with a Wed13Jan, BBC1 21:00(60mins). they find themselvespitted against areal-life cast led by Michael Sheen– bandit. Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin returns to stream from 20-22 Films Short star.Tue 12 Jan, Film4 18:55(125mins). January; tickets from £10 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Gary (oldvictheatre.com). Finally, Oldman starsinthisgrippingadaptationofJohn New to Netflix the Southbank Centre le Carré’s 1974novel aboutaretired spywho is Crack: Cocaine, Corruption &Conspiracy presents adigitalversionofits summonedback intoservice to unearth aSoviet This feature documentary examines howthe US Unlimited festival, celebrating mole. Sat9Jan, BBC2 21:30(120mins). government’sinvolvement in theIran-Contra work by disabledartists – scandal fuelled thecrack cocaineepidemicthat includingdance, musicand The Big Short (2015) Basedonrealevents, torethrough America’s innercitiesinthe 1980s, comedy–from 13-17January Adam McKay’s sharp comedy-drama follows a with devastating–and lasting–consequences (southbankcentre.co.uk). ragtag groupoffinanciers as they become aware forblackcommunities.FromMon 11 Jan.

9January 2021 THE WEEK 30 Best properties

Fabulous French ski chalets

▲ Argentière: Chalet in Argentière, near Chamonix, Haute-Savoie 74400. Aunique, renovated historic town house set over four floors, in the middle of the village, close to the Grand Montetslift system.Mainsuite with balcony with views of theMont Blancmassif, 2 family suites with mezzanines, 5 further suites, open- plan double recep with wood-burning fire andprofessional kitchen, terrace, guest WC, hall, sauna, laundry room, storage, lift. Available to view via video call. s1.75m; Savills (020-7016 3740).

▲ Megève: Alovely chalet with beautiful Mont Blanc views, about 3kmfrom thecentre of Megève, Haute-Savoie 74120. 2 suites, 2further beds, family bath with shower, WC,open-plan kitchen/double recep, 1further recep, laundry, balcony, mezzanine/office, terrace, cellar, 2-car garage with ski rack, sauna, Jacuzzi.Ref:RSI012054513. s1.48m; Knight Frank (020-7861 1083).

▲ Morzine: Chalet in Morzine,Haute- Savoie 74110. A renovatedchalet in a sunny location with fine views of Morzine, Montriond and the valley that leads up to Ardent where the fast gondolas take skiers up to Avoriaz in under 5 minutes. Thefree ski bus to Morzinestops outside the chalet and you can walk to the bars and restaurants in the evening. 5beds (sleeps 14), 4baths, fitted kitchen, double recep with wood- burner, carport. Ref: 108940NJW74. s873,000; Leggett (0870-011 5151).

THE WEEK 9January 2021 on the market 31

▲ Chamonix: Chalet, Les Bossons, Chamonix, Haute-Savoie 74400. Youcan ski in and out of this chalet, builtin1982 in apeaceful area with Mont Blanc views. 4 beds,3baths (2 en suite), kitchen, 2receps, terrace, mezzanine. Ref: 220 577. s840,000; Prestige Property (01935-817188).

▲ Samoëns: Chalet in Samoëns, Haute-Savoie 74340. This sunny chalet is set in almost 2.5 acres of private land, just 4minutes fromthe skislopes at Samoëns 1600.6suites, open-planliving/dining area with open stone fireplace, TV snug, kitchen, laundry, WC, 2-bed flat, 1-bed cabin, parking, terrace, hottub. Ref: 118051JST74. s970,000 Leggett(0870-011 5151).

Vaujany: Chalet in ▲ Aravis: Chalet, ▲ Vaujany, Isère 38114. Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, Alovely chalet in this Aravis, Haute- authentic alpine village with Savoie 74450. A spectacular 360º mountain stylish chalet set and valley views. Setover above thevillage of 4floors, this beautifully Saint-Jean-de-Sixt designed standalone chalet in the heart of the is situated within walking Aravis. The house is distance of theski lifts less than3km from linking youtothe vast thecosmopolitan Alpe d’Huez skidomain. resort of La Clusaz. 10 suites, large kitchen, 2 4beds, 4baths, large receps, sauna, Jacuzzi, open-plan kitchen/ games room, laundry, garage recep,1-bed flat, with ski andbootroom, studio flat, parking, parking, 2-bedapartment, garage,amazing dining balcony. The chalet views. Ref: comprisestwo wings, and FRLGGTS- so works well for2groups; 86623SD74 virtual visits on request. Ref: £1.57m; Hamptons 116426TRA38H. s3.1m; International (020- Leggett (0870-0115151). 7265 6571).

▲ Chamonix: Chalet Les Praz, Chamonix, Haute-Savoie 74400. Built in 2005,this unique property, which extends to approximately 2,766 square feet, is composed of a luxury main chalet and aseparateguest annex, and affords spectacularpanoramas of Mont Blanc. 5suites, large kitchen, spacious living area with central fireplace,balcony/ terrace, hammam, WC, heatedoutdoor swimming pool, garden. ▲ Les Deux Alpes: Chalet in Les Deux Alpes 1650,Isère 38860. Alarge Ref: 4458235. s4.85m; detached chalet in aquiet area of the resort, known as Le Petit Plan, close Barnes International to thepiste. The nearest ski liftis400 metres away, andthe free skibus Realty (+33 [0]448 stop is opposite the chalet. 9suites, open-plan kitchen/living area, ski 05 09 43). locker, terrace.Ref:96208NDY38. s799,000; Leggett (0870-011 5151).

9January 2021 THE WEEK 32 Marketplace

THE WEEK 9January 2021 To advertise here please email classifi[email protected] or call HenryHaselock 020 3890 3900 LEISURE 33 Food & Drink Recipe of the week: venison pie

This slow-cooked and rich meat filling with shortcrust pastry pie brings asmile to everyone’s face, say Ollie Pudney and Joe Swiers. Serve with mashed potato and greens. For an amazing steak pie, swap the venison for an equal quantity of diced chuck steak. Serves 4-6 and cook for about 2hours,until the Equipment required:aroughly 20cm ×30cm venison starts to fall apart. As the filling pie dish mixture cooks, fat will rise to the top of the pan. Skim off the fat occasionally and top For the filling: 1tbsp light rapeseed oil up with extra beef stock if necessary. 1kg venison haunch, cut into 3cm cubes 25g unsalted butter 300g pearl onions, • Meanwhile, make the shortcrust pastry. peeled 2carrots, diced ½aceleriac, peeled Place the flour and salt in afoodprocessor and diced 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved and add the diced butter. Pulse until the 2garlic cloves, finely chopped 150g smoked mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. bacon lardons 2sprigs of thyme, leaves finely Add 4tablespoons of the water and pulse chopped 2sprigs of rosemary, leaves finely again to bring the mixture together into chopped 2bay leaves 2tbspplain flour adough, adding another 1-2 tablespoons 500ml red wine 600ml beef stock, plus of water if needed. Remove from the extra for topping up if needed 2tsp Marmite processor, wrap in cling film and rest in sea salt and freshly ground black pepper the fridge for 30 minutes. For the shortcrust pastry: 340g plain flour, • Roll the pastry out on alightly floured plus extra for dusting apinch of salt worktop to the thickness of 5mm. Brush 200g cold unsalted butter, diced the edges of the pie dish with beaten 4-6 tbsp ice-cold water 1egg, beaten with egg then use arolling pin to carefully lift asplashofmilk the pastry and place it on top of the filling. • Preheatthe oven to 160°C. Heat the Trim off any excess pastry then crimp rapeseed oil in acasserole dish over a the edges of the pastry all the way around rest of the vegetables to the pan, along high heat. Add the venison to the pan the dish with your thumbs, making sure to with the garlic, bacon, thyme, rosemary in batches and brown it for about 5 seal it securely. Put the pie in the fridge to and bay leaves. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until minutes per batch until nicely coloured, rest for 15 minutes and preheat the lightly golden. Add the flour and cook for a transferring each batch to aplate or tray oven to 200°C. further 2minutes,stirring, then pour in the with aslotted spoon. red wine and reduce until syrupy. Place the • Brush the top of the pie with the • Drain off any excess oil, reduce the heat venison back in the pan and cover with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sea salt. to medium and add the butter. When it beef stock. Add the Marmite and season Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 starts to foam, add the onions and cook for well with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to minutes, or until golden. Remove from about 10 minutes until softened. Add the asimmer, then cover, transfer to the oven the oven and serve.

Taken from The Bull &Last: Over 70 Recipes from North London’s Iconic Pub and Coaching Inn by Ollie Pudney &Joe Swiers, published by Etive Pubs at £30. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £23.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

Lockdown innovation and culinary fizz Good-value pinot noir Lockdown’sfoodentrepreneurs for foodbankcharity TheTrussell The “quiet months”of2020weren’t Trust.The sauces acquired cult status, If you love top-drawer red burgundy, but fallowfor everyone, says Clare Finney andKold Saucewas born.“Iwanted to hate the astronomical prices, make this in The DailyTelegraph:for some create aplatform forpositivity, to show the winter to track down agood-value “food-lovingentrepreneurs”, they kindness through hot sauce,”hesays. pinot noir, says Jane MacQuitty in The Times. It might take some provided thespark foranew venture. work, but it is just about possible London husband andwife Jack and How to cook with flatpop to enjoy burgundy’s “classic Natasha Durling began bottling If youhavegot bottlesoffizzydrinks in finesse for abargain price”. homemade cocktails to give to friends your fridge, which were opened during to jazz up their Zoomcalls. When the festive season andhavenow gone Germany has started making interest anddemand grew, they turned flat,don’t throw them away, said Tom some “cracking pinot noir” –orspätburgunder theirhobby into abusiness. Lockdown Hunt in The Guardian. Keep them – –asharvests there have got warmer and riper. Liquor &Conow employs “a team they won’t go off –and usethem to Look in specialist wine shops for examples – of mixologists”, andits bottlesofpre- cook with. You can pour someofthe such as HanewaldSchwerdtSpätburg18 (£15.90; thesampler.co.uk). mixedcocktailscan be foundatLiberty, liquid intoadish of Bostonbaked The Conran Shop andother outlets. beans,toadd sweetness anddepth, If you want to spend alot less, thengoto Students Jenny Bates andElle Nash or use it to createasyrupyglaze for theNew World. Pinots from Chile are richer decided to startapick ‘n’ mixsweet chicken wings.Or, better still, seeitas and spicier than those from France and business to cheer people up during an opportunity to make Coca-Colaham Germany. The 2019 Cono SurBicicleta lockdown. “As peopleopened thedoor –anold classicfromthe US Deep South Pinot Noir (£6, down from £7.25; Asda) is to receivetheir sweets, it brought abig thatwas first popularised in the UK by bargain basement, but “surprisingly classy”. smiletotheir faces,” recalls Nash, a Nigella Lawson (the recipeisonher New Zealand’s maritime climate means it student at OxfordBrookes. The pair website). ThoughCoke is thetraditional can produce amore floral and fruit-driven style. A“must-buy” is the 2019 Pinot Noir are now so busyrunningtheir delivery liquid for this dish, any soda will work Vigilante,Central Otago (£9.99;Aldi): company, Jellees, they’re struggling to –thoughdon’t use diet versions. it’s “crammed with fresh, plummy fruit”. fit in theirstudies. Meanwhile, London- Braising thegammoninthe sweetliquid Even Lidl’s 2019Winemaker Marlborough based freelance creative consultant makes it incredibly succulent. As Nigella Pinot Noir (£5.99) is very decent: it oozes Drew Wolf began selling bottles of his puts it:“This really works:noone who rich, smoky, herby red fruit. OE HOWARD fermentedchillisauce to raisemoney cooksitcooks it justonce”. ©J

9January 2021 THE WEEK 34 Marketplace

THE WEEK 9January 2021 To advertise here please email classifi[email protected] or call HenryHaselock 020 3890 3900 Consumer LEISURE 35

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● Wear leggings, tights and base layers Made for film buffs, Mubi hosts 30 cult, to keep warm. If it’s really cold, try inner classic and independent films at atime– gloves, too, and merino socks under water- anew film, every single day, and has proof socks –try SealskinzorEndura. collections from film festivals around the ● Opt for reflective clothing rather than world, including Cannes (seven-day free fluorescent/hi-vis: the latter is better for trial, £9.99 amonth; mubi.com). daytime wear. Reflective strips on your Shudder is for lovers of thrillers and horror wrists, ankles, knees and/or elbows will films, TV shows and podcasts (seven-day make you even more visible to cars. free trial; £3.99 amonth; shudder.com). ● Where possible, stick to well-lit, Funimation is the go-to service for anime. populated areas. Avoid headphones. It streams subtitled and dubbed shows just ● For off-road runners, aheadtorch is a weeks after they air in Japan (14-day free crucial piece of kit. trial, £4.99 amonth; funimation.com). ● If you’re struggling to motivate yourself, Kanopy partners with libraries and use exercise as akind of meditation where If you’re trying to keep your children off universities to offer their members free you focus on the pool of light ahead of you. areal laptop, you could try giving them access to films and documentaries. Look ● If you are worried about your personal this wooden one –the I-Wood –touse for your nearest participating organisation safety, consider arunner’s alarm to strap on the website (kanopy.com). around your wrist; or there are apps such instead. They can write or draw on the chalkboard “screen” and “keyboard”, For those missing the theatre, Marquee TV as bSafe that let you share your live has productions from the likes of The Royal location. Or find arunning buddy. and store chalk inside the “mouse pad”. Ballet, Opera Zurich and The Royal ● Make sure your phone is charged in case from i40; donkey-products.com Shakespeare Company (14-day free trial, you get lost, or get aGPS bike computer. £8.99 amonth; marquee.tv).

SOURCE:THE GUARDIAN SOURCE: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SOURCE: THE INDEPENDENT

9January 2021 THE WEEK 36 Obituaries

French designer who revolutionised the fashion industry

One of the most influential were male). Three years later, he became the Pierre Cardin fashion designers ofthe firstFrenchdesignertoforgebusiness links in 1922-2020 20thcentury,Pierre Cardin Japan. In 1959,helaunched a ready-to wear- was known in particular collection at the department store Printemps for shaping the 1960saesthetic. The cut-out on the Boulevard Haussmann –amove so tunics andboldA-line dressesheproduced controversial,itled to him beingejected from for hisSpace Race-inspired Cosmocorps the eliteChambre Syndicale de la Haute collection in 1964 became one of the defining Couture Parisienne. Butheturned outtohave looks ofthe decade, while his relaxed suits, been intune with the more egalitariantimes; with collarlessjackets, were immortalised andbefore long other couturiers followed by The Beatles. Later, headded vinyl mini suit, and he was readmitted. In the 1960s, skirts and“eggcarton” dresses madefrom hisfuturisticoutfits made fromstretchy Cardine, hisownheat-embossablefabric. new fabrics had such an impact, Nasa But arguablyhis greatest innovations were commissioned him to design aspace suit. on thebusiness side: Cardin was the first “The dressesIprefer arethoseIinventfor couturier to sell prêt-à-portercollections alife thatdoes not yet exist,”hesaid. through department stores;the first to produce unisex lines; andthe first to turnhis In 1979,hestarted showing his designs in name into aglobal brand, by using it to sell communist China, having perceived thatthere everything from ties and glasses to household wouldone day be a huge market there; and in goods. “I wash with my ownsoap,” he once Cardin: commissioned by Nasa the 1980s, he startedlayingthe groundwork said.“Iwear my ownperfume, go to bed with foranexpansion to Russia. He boughtthe my own sheets, have my own foodproducts. I live on me.” celebrity restaurant Maxim’s in 1981; he also ran his own arts space andpublishing house. Meanwhile, the list ofproducts Pierre Cardin was born in 1922 in northern Italy,but grew up in bearing his name grew everlonger,said The Times.Atone point, central France.Hedreamed in his youthofbecoming an actor. there were 840 PierreCardin licences in 93 countries. “Why am Instead, he began, aged14, an apprenticeshipwith alocal tailor. IbadifIsell afryingpan?” hedemanded, in 1990. “If I sell During the War, he worked as a bookkeeper for theFrench Red perfume Iaman aristocrat, yet whatisperfume but water and a Cross in Vichy; then in 1945, he made his way to Paris, where he bitofessence?” His critics warned that he was debasing his name; foundworkatvarious fashion houses. Hedesigned costumes for andinfashion circles,thegreatfuturist came to be seen as yester- Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film La Belle et la Bête,and playedakey day’s man; but Cardin seemed untroubled. Somequestioned role incutting Christian Dior’s NewLook collection of1947. whether he waseven a good businessman (if he ever drew up a By 1950, he was doing well enough to launch his own label, business plan, he never made itpublic); but he was certainlyable The House ofCardin; and in1954, he madeheadlineswith his to lead the good life on the proceeds of his empire: heowned bubbledress, said The Guardian – tight at the waistand hemline 32 homes including theBubble Palace nearCannes, afantastical but voluminous in the middle. His early clients included Rita mansion madeupof aseries of dark red spheres.His neighbours Hayworth, Jackie Kennedy, Eva Perónand Jeanne Moreau, with didn’tlove it, but he saw that astheir problem. “Those trapped whom he had a six-yearaffair (though more usually, his partners bourgeoisie will never understand my creativity,” he said. Merseybeat star whose band rivalled The Beatles

Gerry Marsden, who hasdied chocolate firm. Instead, Mars threatened Gerry aged 78, was the lead singer of legal action, so they became Gerry andthe Marsden Gerry and thePacemakers – Pacemakers.In1961, theyjoined The Beatles 1942-2021 one of the most successful of in Hamburg. Later, the bands were on the the Merseybeat bands, and forabrief moment same bills at the CavernClub, andonce, they in theearly 1960s, The Beatles’ mainrival. The performedtogether as the Beatmakers. In April two bands had emerged inLiverpool at around 1963, the Pacemakers’ debut single, How Do the same time; andwereboth managedbyBrian You Do It? –asongThe Beatles hadrejected – Epstein. The Pacemakers’ firstthree singles were wentstraight to No. 1, whereas The Beatles’ all No. 1s. Butultimately, their“light, catchy debut, Love Me Do,had only gottoNo. 17. pop” couldnot match “thepower and originality In June,theyhit thetop spot againwith ILike of Lennon andMcCartney”, said The Daily It. You’ll Never Walk Alone was released in Telegraph.Asthe 1960s woreon, the music October. That song comes from Rodgers and emanatingfromboth the UK andthe US became Hammerstein’s musical Carousel;in1965, increasingly sophisticated; Merseybeat, with its Marsden had atop ten hit with asonghe’d relatively simple sounds, faded away. YetGerry Marsden: three No. 1s written himself, Ferry Cross the Mersey.The band Marsden remained in thepublic view, not least split twoyears later, but reformed in 1973, to becausethe last of histrio of chart-toppers was You’llNever tourthe world; they continued to tour for many years after that. Walk Alone –the unofficialanthem of Liverpool FC. In 1985, Marsden formed asupergroup to produce You’llNever Gerry Marsden was born in Toxtethin1942 to musical parents. Walk Alone as acharity single.Sold in aidofthe victims of the His father,arailwayclerk, played theukulele; hismother sang. Bradford City stadium fire, it gottoNo. 1. In 1989, he and Paul He was given hisfirstguitar when he was nine. He sangina McCartney andothers collaborated on anew versionofFerry church choir, andaged14joined askifflebandcalledthe Red Cross the Mersey to raise money forthe Hillsborough Disaster Mountain Boys. Later that year,John Lennonformed the Fund, whichspent three weeks at No.1.Marsden was married Quarrymen. “Wegrewuptogether andweregoodmates,” tohis wife, Pauline,for 55 years; theyhad started datingin1961 Marsden recalled.Inthe late1950s, hisgroup becameThe Mars when her then boyfriend, George Harrison, wasinHamburg.She Bars. They’d hoped it wouldlead to sponsorship from the surviveshim,along with their two daughters.

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@pcpro @pcpro LISTEN NOW-FORFREE! CITY CITY 39 Companies in the news ...and how they were assessed

Fiat Chrysler/PSA: European car champion Twoyears after talksbegan, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot-maker PSAhave finally sealed their $47bn merger, creating theworld’s fourth-largestautocompany. Andthus, said The Economist,“anew star will illuminate the carindustry”. The combined companyis called Stellantis (derived from the Latin “to brighten with stars”), and willbeled by the “brighteststar” in the business.CarlosTavares is acclaimed for his “rapidrevival” of former “basket-case” PSA; but steering aroute into the “electric age” is likelytoprove Seven days in the challenging.The two companies – whichemploy400,000 people andown 14 brands Square Mile including Jeep, Ram Trucks, Alfa Romeo and Maserati –reckon they “stand abetter chance” of survivingthattransitiontogether, said Jack EwinginThe New York Times. The pound and UK shares jumped as Indeed, EU politiciansare hailing Stellantis (based inthe Netherlands but with large ops Brexit uncertainty lifted and the roll-out in France,Italy and the US) as anew“Europeanchampion”.Ifso,itfacesconsiderable of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine began. Sterling briefly pushed above headwinds,said Prof Peter Wells of Cardiff Business School. Despite“brisksales of $1.37 –alevel last seen in 2018. But the delivery vans”, bothcarmakers have been whackedbythe pandemic andhavea“bunch effects of the EU split were felt on the of structuralproblems that aren’t going away”. Starry orotherwise, this tie-up will worry first trading day of 2021: nearly v6bn of some in Britain, said Graeme Evans in the London EveningStandard.Itwillinevitably EU share dealing shifted from London to “add to concerns around the post-Brexitvulnerability of UK carproduction jobs”. European capitals. China’s stock market hit its highest level since the 2008 crisis, UK retail: drowning sorrows having rallied 50% since the Covid sell- Within hours of thePM’s new lockdown announcement, theonlineoperations of several off in March. Elsewhere, stock markets supermarkets were strained as customers rushed to book deliveries,said BBC Business. fell, driven down by coronavirus con- cerns. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and “It’s March 2020 all over again,” observedone frustratedOcado customeronTwitter. Nasdaq each fell by 1.5% –the steepest Butshareholders won’t be worried. Already established Covid winners, supermarkets daily decline in more than two months. “toastedarecord-breaking festive season”, aided by theshuttering of non-essential As the new national lockdown set in, shops, pubs and restaurants, said Laura Onita inTheSunday Telegraph. Kantarreports UK business groups welcomed the that UK shoppersspent£12bn on food and drink in December – “thebiggest month of Chancellor’s £4.6bn relief package for grocery salesever”.For therest of the high street, though, it was miserable. According to closed retail, hospitality and leisure the Centre for Retail Research, 2020 saw the worst job losses in25years: nearly 180,000 businesses, but called for longer-term postswere lost. With the futureofdistressed chains such as Debenhams andTopshop support including VAT relief and an still undecided, the new year begins in the same “grim” vein,said The Observer:“Butit’s extension of the furlough scheme. The not all doom for physical retail.”Asurprisewinner from the pandemicisthe “local high Bank of England reported that mortgage street”,where we have “grown to appreciate” our quirkyindependents. Cheaper rents approvals in November rose at their andempty sites could allowmanymoreto“bubble up”. fastest rate in more than 13 years, as buyers rushed to complete deals before Chinese telecoms: reprieved stamp duty relief expires in April. The age of Trump is spluttering towards its end – bringing hope to US-listedChinese Crunch talks began to determine the City’s trading relationship with the EU. companies and their investors. In a last-minute reprieve, theNew York Stock Exchange Tesla reported record deliveries of its hasscrappedplans to “delist” three Chinese telecoms firms, originally banned following cars in Q4 2020. Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 an executive order signed by PresidentTrump in November, said Christine Wang on Capital bought two US agencies for CNBC. The Trump administration claimed that China Telecom, China Mobileand $200m; he predicted abounce in adver- ChinaUnicom were aiding the Chinesemilitary – an allegation denied byBeijing, which tising spending in 2021. Anew farmers’ countered that the order was signed for “political purposes”. After newsofthe reversal, bank, Oxbury,withbacking from the the Hong Kong-listed shares ofall threefirms jumped. The news willalso be welcomed Duke of Westminster, is the UK’s first by 200 or so more US-listed Chinese companieswith atotal capitalisation of$2.2trn. agricultural bank in nearly 100 years.

Entain/MGM Resorts: the American takeover of gambling

It looked asure-fire bet that the Americans would approach” marks Entain’s “meteoric rise”, come for aFTSE 100 gambling operator in 2021, under former CEO Kenny Alexander, from alittle- said Christopher Williams in The Sunday known operator in “murky unregulated markets” Telegraph. Nothing like getting in with an early to an industry giant, said Ben Martin in The roll of the dice. On the first day of trading this Times. Now the predator has become the prey. year, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral –the newly renamed Entain –turneddown an £8bn It’s surprising that the big beasts of US gambling bid from MGM Resorts, claiming it “significantly” are such “digital dunces” that they need UK undervalued the company and its prospects. companies to guide them online, said Nils Shares in Entain, which already operates a50:50 Pratley in The Guardian. But slick technology, joint venture with MGM, soared 26% on the news. proven here over years, is seen as “critical to Investors are betting the US behemoth will return cracking the liberalising US betting market”. with ahigheroffer –inkeeping with what looks Apattern has been set: Caesars Entertainment like afull-scale “American takeover of gambling”. bought William Hill last year for £2.9bn; US cash is also flowing into Flutter, the owner of MGM’s “biggest moneymakers” –casinos and PaddyPower and Betfair. Given that Entain’s hotels on the Las Vegas strip –have been MGM: “digital dunce” shares fell as low as 323p in the “panicky Covid hamstrung by the pandemic, said Cara Lombardo sell-off” last March, the decision to turn down in The Wall Street Journal. The attraction of Entain (formerly £13.83 per share seems “brave”. But looking at the direction of known as GVC) is its online presence. This “blockbuster takeover travel, a“wait-and-see” approach seems wise.

9January 2021 THE WEEK 40 CITY Talking points

Issue of the week: New year, new Britain? A trade deal with the European Union is finally in the bag – but for many UK companies, a corona cliff-edge looms “We’ve left the European Union and rules arelightly enforced at first”. But markets are rapturous” – or at least the deal’s “biggest gap” is services, as rapturous as they can be amid the which comprise some80% of Britain’s “corona gloom”, said Philip Aldrick economy andnearly half itsexports. in The Times. And why not? Boris Brexitersargue thatsince there is no Johnson’s deal is “not merely betterthan trueEUsingle marketinservices,that’s no deal, but better than expected”.True, no great loss.“Butbeingcut out willstill it is “thin” –“afree-trade agreement in hurt.” Professionals may find itharder to goods with nothing on services”. But work in Europe, andnew restrictions for the PM got largely whathewanted on EU citizens will hamper manyUKfirms. “regulatory sovereignty”.And there are There arenoclearrules as yet on the otherpositivesthatmight offset “Brexit’s handling of data and, mostseriously, bequest”of“£80bnofpermanently lost financial services–the sourceofBritain’s GDP”. Getting shot ofthe EU’s “greatest comparative advantage”. These “nonsensical” financial regulation is are not just looseends. Like Switzerland, one; improved political accountability Sunak: delivered a £4.6bn relief package we face “more redtape and an eternity is another – the EU cannolongerbea of negotiations” –as“the supplicant”. “fig leaf”for baddecisions. And if the Government can fulfil its pipe dream of joiningthe 11Pacific Rim signatoriesofthe Trans- For manyUKcompanies, the immediate challenge is surviving Pacific Partnership, andsucceed in luring in theUStoo, we will be Covid. Having “alreadyspent close to £300bn tackling the eco- part ofthe “largest trading bloc in the world”. That’s something nomic fallout”, ChancellorRishi Sunakthis week dished upa even a Brexit sceptic mightcelebrate. £4.6bn reliefpackagefor the retail and hospitality sectors, said Larry Elliott in The Guardian. Sadly,itwon’t beenough tosave Dreamon, said The Economist. Thereare more holes inthis deal manyfirms. Thereare reasons tobepositive,said David Smith than in a piece of Swisscheese – which is apt when you consider in TheSunday Times. We have“avoided the short-term chaos that Britain’s relationship with the EU nowclosely resembles that of no deal” and will eventually benefit fromareboundingglobal of Switzerland, “which has spentyears battling over details”– economy. Yetall those “absurdlyhyperbolic”tabloid headlines and continuestodo so.Leaving thesingle market and customs about apost-Brexit“boom”were jarring.“Rarely, aswestart a union will certainlyraise thecost oftrading goods,“evenifthe new year, hasthe gap betweenhopeand reality been so wide.”

Bitcoin: what the experts think Winners and losers ● Bitcoining it “manipulation”. Yet Britain’s blue-chip FTSE 100 index Londoners bravingthe some analystspointto “suffered its worst year since the 2008 Tube in December an increase in “corpo- financial crisis” in 2020 (down 14.3%) as couldn’t avoidgetting rate and institutional the toxic combo of the pandemic and an eyeful of bitcoin, interest”, said Ian Smith Brexit uncertainty hit stocks, said said Ian Allison on in the FT, arguing that Graeme Wearden in The Guardian. for every Roubini, there But there were pockets of brilliance. Coindesk.com. As Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust – the cryptocurrency’s is now a well-known investor backing bitcoin which invests in US and Chinese tech extraordinary 2020 companies –was the best-performing rallysteamed to a –Paul TudorJones and FTSE 100 stock, more than doubling in conclusion, two StanleyDruckenmiller, value. Ocado, meanwhile, gained 78%. exchanges–Coinfloor Bitcoin: boom or bust? to name justtwo. and Luno –staged PayPal, meanwhile, has Hopefully, it’s agood omen that the prominent ad campaignstolure more started giving US customers the option of FTSE 100 was almost alone in shining punters in. After rising by morethan holding bitcoin in their digital wallets. among the big indices as the new year dawned, said Tom Howard in The 300% lastyear, bitcoin continued its Times. “London’s outperformance was dizzyingascent into thenew year, noted ● Rally on? thanks to its exposure to big-name The Economist. Last Sunday, it climbed According to MarcusSwanepoel of Luno, mining stocks, which got aleg up from above$34,000. Theannual gains far the mostheartening development for ariseinmetal prices” as investors bet outpacedmainstream asset classes, such as bitcoin bulls is that thepattern seen last on a“vaccine-led global recovery”. gold (up 25%) andWall Street’s blue-chip year wasa“consistentincrease, rather S&P500 stockindex (up16%), feeding than one sharp spike”, whichhereckons The biggest individual winner in concernsthatbitcoin is “set to repeat the “sets bitcoinupextremely well forthis London last year was Alberto Baillères, events of three years ago, whenabull year”.After recentgains, many have been the secretive Mexican billionaire who owns 75% of the gold and silver miner marketdramatically collapsed”. anticipating a“healthy” correction. This Fresnillo, said Robert Watts in The week we gotit, said Smith in theFT: the Sunday Times: the value of his stake ● Doom’sday price tumbledbelow $30,000 –before soared by £2.9bn. Others making big Certainly, criticshave been outinforce rebounding. Fundstrat analysts believethat money included the top brass of –notably Nouriel Roubini(aka“Dr institutional demand, aclearerapproach discount chain B&M; CMC Markets’ Doom”)ofNew York’s Stern School of by regulators, andanew US fiscal package Peter Cruddas; and John Roberts, of the Business, who told YahooFinance that couldall fuel bitcoin’sprogressthisyear Bolton-based fridge-seller AO. Among bitcoin “has no place in an institutional amid “signsthe cryptocurrency is the biggest losers were easyJet founder or retailinvestor’s portfolio” because becoming moreintegratedintothe Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou (-£778.7m) and Tim Martin of JD Wetherspoon, whose “it’s notastablestoreofvalue”, aviable financial system”.Last month, Coinbase “stake in the pub group is now worth currency,or“evenanasset”. The recent –the crypto exchange –filed to go public. £170.9m less than ayear ago”. “speculative” rise, he said, was drivenby It couldbealandmark float.

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Commentators CITY 41

Finance was “all but absent” fromthe Brexit trade deal, and the EU hassofar resistedgrantingthe UK “equivalent” regulatory City profiles The City status to aid market access, says theFT. Given the shift ineuro share trading we’ve already seen this week, the likelihood is that Adar Poonawalla India’s “vaccine prince” has can thrive the “low tally” of City jobs lost so far “could indeedrise towards an ambitious plan to supply earlier predictions ofupto75,000”. Yetthereisalso roomfor the Oxford/AstraZeneca after Brexit optimism. “It is useful to remember that many of the high times vaccine to half the planet of theCity ofLondon predate 1973,when the UK joined the this year, said The Times. Editorial European Community.” London has always “prospered through Adar Poonawalla’s family innovation” –and can do so again, if policymakers and financiers firm, Serum Institute of India Financial Times establish the “rightarchitecture”. Britain now has an opportunity –founded by his father Cyrus to “cast itself as a world leader in green finance”,andshaking off (the “vaccine king”) in 1966 – EU solvency rules should help establish a credible venture-capital is well placed to do so. It is already “comfortably the sectortoback start-ups inlifesciences and technology. The UK’s biggest vaccine manufactur- “vast private pension system”, worth£6trn,is“six times thesize er by volume in the world”, of even the biggest sovereign wealth fund” elsewhere inthe world. and some two-thirds of all A“post-Brexit reset of rules” could “liberate and empower”. children on the planet have been vaccinated with its Last week’srelease of better-than-expected weekly US jobfigures products. Long afixture of was enough to send the bellwether S&P 500 to another all-time India’s business aristocracy, America’s high, havingmade16% gainslast year. “That’s extraordinary”, the Poonawallas –so-called given the “continued demiseoftens of thousands of locked-down because of their base in the city of Pune –originally got bloated US businesses and ongoingeconomiccarnage”, saysLiam into vaccines almost by Halligan. The reason, of course, is the Federal Reserve. “Having chance, via their stud farm. markets expanded its balancesheet by$4.5trnbetween2008and 2019”, Adar, 39, thinks we were it “addedanother $3.5trn of quantitative easing during 2020” in “lucky” with Covid: “Can Liam Halligan a“frenzy ofpost-Covidmoneyprinting”. If thepresident-elect, you imagine if Ebola were as Joe Biden, succeeds in winning theSenate, thereby “taking infectious as coronavirus?” The Sunday Telegraph untrammelled control of Washington”, expect the machine to be crankedupevenmoreaseconomists punting“modern monetary Alexander Temerko theory”are welcomed intothe White House. “The absurd notion that governments canspend withoutlimit” will only send stocks still higher. This islikely to bethe story of 2021 – as authorities “lather on morestimulus” tostock and bond markets already “dangerously bloated, deep in bubble territoryand detached from reality”.And where the USgoes, others will follow.

Ryanair hasjust taken theriskystep ofplacing a“huge order” for Boeing’s 737 Maxjets,says Schumpeter. It’s not the first timethat Ryanair the airline’s boss, Michael O’Leary, has “thrown the dice at atime of historic convulsion”.But thedanger forRyanair is that a takes on the “supreme leader whothinks he has seenitall before” fails to see that some things have fundamentallychanged–“especially on eco-warriors climate change”. O’Leary is “unimpressed” by the move of Airbus –Boeing’s Europeanarch-rival –todevelop zero-carbon hydrogen Since gaining British Schumpeter planes by2035. He reckons Europe’s lack ofindustrial competi- citizenship in 2011, the tiveness means that it “does not havethe luxuryofconstraining former Russian industrialist The Economist air travel”. Maybe he’ll be proved right. “In the battle between has become “one of the ‘flight-shaming’eco-warriorsand thosewanting cheap holidays Conservative Party’s most abroad, the second lot may prevail.” But there is a danger ofcom- prominent donors”, said Rachel Millard in The Sunday placency. O’Leary riskslocking Ryanair into a dirty technology– Telegraph. “I very much andapartnershipwith Boeing–thatmay be out ofstepwith the admire Boris,” he remarks – times. “OnceRyanair wasaDavid, wielding its slingshot against and he now intends to follow industry Goliaths.”It“maynow be theone with the blindspot”. in the PM’s footsteps by standing for London Mayor In the latestnew year’s honourslist, “there were more citations in 2024 on apledge to “get for servicestohairdressingthanbanking,”says Patrick Hosking tough on crime”. Born in We need in TheTimes. Agood thingtoo,manywill say –but thesameis what was then Soviet true of business leadersmore generally. “Senior businesspeople Ukraine, Temerko, 54, found early prominence when the more gongs running FTSE 100companies arenolongerbaggingthe most USSR collapsed, as ajunior seniorprizes.” If they go to anyone in finance, it tendstobeecon- defence minister in Boris for bosses omists.“No disrespect intended” –but it seems odd thatpeople Yeltsin’s cabinet. After with relatively modest responsibilitiesare lauded,while those running weapons-maker Patrick Hosking “responsible forhundreds of thousands of employees, millions Russkoe Oruzhie, he joined of customers andbillions of pounds of assets” are bypassed. The the energy giant Yukos – The Times reason whybossesare beingignored is self-inflicted. The £3.6m fleeing to Britain in 2004 as average paypacket for aFTSE100 chief has“soured public President Putin seized the attitudes”.So, too, havesome“breathtakingly poor”pastcalls, company. Temerko’s current project is “developing a such as the 2006 decision to knight Topshop boss Philip Green. £1.2bn power cable under No one wantsareturn to the “bad old days” whenbosseswere the Channel”. But his “automaticallyrewarded” –often aftermaking large donations ultimate goal is to “abolish to political parties. But thebest business leadersdeserve public all criminality from London”. recognition. It’s time the “gongmonitors”ended theirboycott.

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Healthy minds, happykids Shares CITY 43

Who’s tipping what

Shares for the year ahead Directors’ dealings AstraZeneca Pearson SourceBio International Associated British Foods The Daily Telegraph The Sunday Times The Mail on Sunday The Oxfordjab has grabbed Alockdown-induced SourceBio processes Covid-19 2,400 the headlines, but the revolution inonline learning tests rapidly and efficiently, oncology, cardiovascularand across schools, universities anddelivers diagnostic 2,200 CEO sells respiratory focused pharma’s and businesses should play services and personalised 652,432 pipeline is“bursting” with to Pearson’s strengthsas medicinefor cancerpatients. 2,000 late-stage drugs –with it exits its declining print Well-run, with clients inclu- partnerships creating publishing operations. ding the NHS, AstraZeneca, further growth opportunities. Could be atakeover target. Pfizer, Johnson&Johnson 1,800 Priceybut “not to bemissed”. Buy.680.40p. anduniversities. Buy. 174p. Buy. £74.01. 1,600 Persimmon SSE Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan GamesWorkshop Group The Daily Telegraph The Times The Times Despite recent volatility, the The utilityisexitingoil and Reduced footfall has hit ABF’s affordablefashion chain, The Warhammer figurine- housebuilder should prosper gas to focus on increasing Primark, which doesn’t have makerandretailer hada from any“renewed its electricity networks and an online presence. CEO “phenomenal” 2020 – shares willingness” ofbanks tolend cables capacity. Expanding George Weston has sold almost doubled.Given the to first-timebuyers. The new its wind assets portfolio, and £15.03m-worthofshares – the huge potential of licensing boss, Dean Finch, is “straight aims to treble its renewable largesttranche by any ABF its patent-protectedfantasy talking” – and not afraid of outputby2030.Yields insiderover the past year.

world to film-makers, the taking“punchydecisions”. 5.33%. Buy. £15.00. SOURCE: INVESTORS CHRONICLE/MORNINGSTAR sky-highrating is justified. Buy.£28.31. Buy. £11.20. Stenprop Form guide Pets at Home Group The Mail on Sunday NakedWines The Sunday Times This real estateinvestment Shares tipped 11 Jan 2020 The Daily Telegraph The pet productsretailer trust (Reit)has 80 multi-let Best tip As the pandemic shifted has weathered thepandemic industrial estates attracting Codemasters Group alcohol consumption to the well. The acquisition of small business tenants,from The Mail on Sunday home,the online wine retailer telehealth specialistThe brewers to carmakers to up 134.32% to 651.4p became awinner. Interim VetConnectionhas added solar panel manufacturers. sales, up 80%, have prompted virtual consultations to the Demandisstrong and rent Worst tip a growth forecast upgrade. mix,and there’s room for collection has been robust. Lloyds Banking Group Also seeing “significant” US moregrowth Buy.416p. Easy online leases add to The Daily Telegraph down 42.10% to 36.19p growth. Buy. 668p. the appeal.Buy. 136p. Shopify Ørsted The Sunday Times Visa Investors Chronicle Sales and profits at the InvestorsChronicle Market view The world’s leading offshore Canadian e-commerce The global paymentsgiant “The promise of aspring wind developer sells electricity platform have soared as firms is a long-term play onthe renewal is likely to bring to governments through signupto setuponline stores. move to a cashless society. plenty of upside in 2021.” long-term contracts, and is The launch of a warehouse Earningswerehit by travel Joshua Mahony of IG set to capitaliseonthe race fulfilmentoperationand a restrictions, but superb cash delivers an upbeat appraisal of UK stock to net zero. Well-positioned new “buy now, pay later” generation, sky-high margins market potential. Quoted to benefit inthe nascent US option should boostrevenues. andbrand power remain in The Guardian market. Buy. DKK 1243. Buy.C$1568.19. strong. Buy. $218.36. Market summary

Key numbers for investors Best and worst performing shares Following the Footsie

5Jan 2021 Week before Change (%) WEEK’S CHANGE, FTSE 100 STOCKS 7,500 FTSE 100 6612.25 6602.65 0.15% RISES Price %change FTSE All-share UK 3749.27 3750.91 –0.04% Entain 1403.00 +21.10 Dow Jones 30272.59 30410.53 –0.45% Glencore 254.10 +7.85 7,000 NASDAQ 12757.99 12877.32 –0.93% Aveva Group 3506.00 +6.86 Nikkei 225 27158.63 27568.15 –1.49% Takeaway.com (Lon) 8734.00 +6.33 Hang Seng 27649.86 26568.49 4.07% Fresnillo 1240.00 +6.21 6,500 Gold 1943.20 1875.00 3.64% FALLS Brent Crude Oil 53.25 51.27 3.86% Intl. Cons. Airl. Gp. 149.45 –9.64 DIVIDEND YIELD (FTSE 100) 2.95% 3.62% British Land 468.70 –7.77 UK 10-year gilts yield 0.21 0.21 WPP 777.00 –5.06 6,000 US 10-year Treasuries 0.96 0.94 Informa 537.00 –4.62 UK ECONOMIC DATA Persimmon 2725.00 –4.52 Latest CPI (yoy) 0.3% (Nov) 0.7% (Oct) BEST AND WORST UK STOCKS OVERALL Latest RPI (yoy) 0.9% (Nov) 1.3% (Oct) IDE Group Holdings 2.35 +203.23 5,500 Halifax house price (yoy) 7.6% (Nov) 7.5% (Oct) Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Ilika 178.00 –28.80 £1 STERLING $1.341 E1.088 ¥137.842 Source: Datastream (not adjusted for dividends). Prices on 5Jan (pm) 6-month movement in the FTSE 100index

9January 2021 THE WEEK 44 Thelast word “Isanybodyinthere?” Life as alocked-inpatient

Abrain injury leftJakeHaendel trapped in his own body,unable tomove orspeak but fully conscious. What was it like, asks Josh Wilbur

Jake Haendelwas ahard- over and hecouldn’t eat partyingchef from a sleepy solid food. His speech region ofMassachusetts. became unintelligible. When he was 28, his In November, he was heroin addiction resultedin admittedtohospital and catastrophic brain damage transferred to the neuro- andvery nearly killedhim. science intensivecare unit, In amatter of months,his where hewas put on a existence became reduced ventilator andfeeding to a voice in his head. tube. He suffered autonomic storms–a Jake’s parents had divorced frightening constellation when he wasyoung.He of symptoms sometimes grew upbetween theirtwo seen following brain homesinacouple of small injuries. During astorm, townsjust beyond reach of the nervous system isin Boston, little morethan an overactive state.Blood strip malls,ailing churches pressure rises, the body andhalf-empty sportsbars. sweats profusely and His mother died of breast spasms violently, cancerwhen he was 19. breathing becomes rapid By then, he had already andshallow, and the been sellingmarijuana Haendal: “There weredayswhen Iwould think about my funeral for hours” heartmightbeat200 times andabusingOxyContin, aminute. an opioid, for years.“Likealot of kids atmyschool, Ifell in love with oxy. IfIwasout to dinnerwith my family at a restaurant, I Jake was fightingfor hislife.Hewas scared, confused, would gotothe bathroom just to get a fix,” he said. After hallucinating. Damagetothe myelin, the protectivesheaths culinary school, hetook a jobasachefatalocal country club. surrounding nervecellsinthe brain, progresseduntil he had At 25, Jaketried heroinfor the first time.Despite a worsening no motorcontrol, and could neitherspeak nor direct his eye addiction, Jakemarried his girlfriend, Ellen, inlate 2016.Earlyin movements.Heunderstood what was happening, but could not their relationship, Ellen had asked him if hewas using heroin. He communicate. He couldhearcommentsfrom nurses and doctors hadlied, butshe soon found out the truth.“Iwas out of control,” who believed him to be irreversibly brain-damaged. Jake recalls he said.InMay 2017,Ellen noticedthathewas talking funnily, an ER doctor observing him like a specimen to be dissected. “Oh, hiswords slurred and off-pitch. geez, this guy’s so contracted,” the doctorsaid,hoveringinches above Jake’s face. “It put meinto more painjusthearing him On 21 May, ahighway patrol officer stopped Jake onhis wayto talk about me likethat,” Jaketold me. “Like Iwasn’t there.” work. Hewas driving erratically,speeding and swervingbetween lanes. That morning, he had followed his normal routine, smoking Eventually,the storms lessened in severity, and hewasmoved heroin before brushing histeeth. Itwasalso normal for him to to a nursing home. After awhile he was offered palliative care at smokeheroinwhile driving, heating the powder on a piece offoil home. His father wastoldJakewasexpected to die within weeks. andinhaling the fumes. Asthe officer approached his car, Jake He exhibitednosigns of cognition. “Is heinthere?”hiswife and couldfeel that something wasdifferent in hisbody. He needed to father would ask doctors. No one knew. An electroencephalogram concealthe baggieofheroin,which layvisible in the open centre (EEG) of his brain showed disrupted patterns of neural activity, console,but he couldn’t reach over and closethe compartment. indicating severecerebral dysfunction.“Jakewas pretty much like The policearrested himfor possessionofacontrolled substance. ahouseplant,” his father said. In medical terms, he was“locked in”: his senses were intact, but he hadnoway of communicating. Jake madebail, but couldhardly walk out of thestation. In the next two days, his conditiondeteriorated and,on24May, his “I coulddonothing except listenand Icould only see the direct wife called an ambulancetotheir home. He stumbled to thefront areainfront of me, based on howthe staff wouldposition me door,leaningonthe walls to support himself. He wasrushed to in bed,” Jake later wrote. Thediseasehad attacked the cables hospital. Brain scans showedanunmistakable imaging pattern: carrying information throughhis brain and into hismuscles,but profound,bilateral damage to nerve fibres that facilitate hadspared the areas that enable conscious processing,sohewas communicationbetween different regionsofthe brain. He was fullyalert to the horror of his situation.Hestruggled to make diagnosed with toxic progressiveleukoencephalopathy, also sense of this newreality,unabletocommunicate,and terrified at known as “chasing the dragonsyndrome”, usuallycaused theprospectofthisisolation being permanent. Throughout,Jake by inhaling the fumesfrom heroin heatedonaluminium foil. An felt every jolt, twinge andspasmofpain. “I couldn’t tellanyone if unknown toxin, probably something that had been added to the my mouth was dry, if Iwas hungry, or if Ihad an itch that needed heroin, waswreaking havoc in Jake’s brain. There wasnoknown to be scratched,” he wrote later.Hewas in constant pain,and cure or treatment, so he was sent home with medication. was afraidofdying –but, worsethanthat,hefeared being trapped in hisbodyfor ever. Through thesummerand autumn, Jake’s symptoms worsened. Hismuscles grew weak andhis limbs became contorted. He fell His conditionmirrored that of French journalist Jean-Dominique

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Thelast word 45

Bauby, who published a memoirin their histrionic ramblings, but had 1997 about his experienceoflocked-in no choice but to hear them. “Iwould syndrome, The DivingBell and the havetolisten to areligious nut every Butterfly written by a transcriber morning asking for money,” he would interpreting blinks of Bauby’s left later write in a Facebook post. “I felt eyelid. Expertshave since invented like I was in hell, like I wasalready ways of communicatingwith locked-in being tortured, andthese scamartists patients (including a groundbreaking were torture on topoftorture.” Jake “brain-reading device”). They’vealso was very down,“thinking lots of gained adeeper understanding of their depressingthoughts” and ruminating mental states,with studies showinga on thepast. “Thereweredayswhen surprising numberreport a positive Iwould think about my funeral quality of life. For hispart, Bauby for hours.” struggled to find meaning in such a distressing experience. “Not onlywas After six months, Jake had lived longer Iexiled, paralysed, mute, half deaf, Still from thefilm of The DivingBell and the Butterfly than thestateexpected he would, and deprived of all pleasures,” Bauby could no longer receive at-home wrote, “but I was also horrible tobehold.” palliative care. Medicalstaffstill had no idea if he was conscious, but his vital signswere stableenoughthat he could be moved: to “I felt disgusting all the time,” Jake toldme. He received oxygen Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston forre-evaluationin andfood via tubes, andhewas constantly drenched insweat. May 2018. His skin, sensitive to minor sensory changes, often burned. The autonomicstorms, though less severe, ragedon, grippingJakein In the days following his readmission, he began to feel increasingly spikesofheart rate, high temperatures and feelingsofsuffocation. hopeful about survivingand even recovering. In late June, he Jake’s needs were constant. Carers –andEllen –turned himto noticed that he could exert very limitedcontrol overhis eye gaze, avoidpainfulbedsores, kepthim covered with quilts and squeezed just enough to shift his vision up and down. “I thoughttomyself: pain medication and liquid food through his tube. Although they ‘This is new,’” Jake said. Control of eye gaze can be the first stage didn’t know it, Jakehad “conversations” with them. in recovery of non-verbalcommunication–but at first it was inconsistent, so staffcouldn’tknowfor certain ifhewas “I would interject all the time when people were talking.Ifone consciously directingthem. “It was incredibly discouraging to nurseasked another, ‘Can he hear meright now?’, Iwould shout hear from the doctors, over andover, ‘It’s involuntarymovement.’ in my head, ‘Yes, Ican hearyou!’” Jakecontinued:“Iloved when There were timeswhen Ifelt like I washysterically crying on the anyone would talk to me,evenifthey didn’t trulybelieveIwas ‘in inside.” “Jake showed noemotion in hisface,” his fathersaid. there’. One ofthe aides sang to me.Another said: ‘Jake, you look “It was hardtoimaginehewas in there.” like a Greek god.’ I admit Ididlikethat.” On 4 July 2018,Jake had a More than anyone, Ellen breakthrough. That night, he felt certain thathewas fully “If one nurse asked another, ‘Can he hear could hear, but not see, conscious. Shehad an ability me right now?’, Iwould shout in my head, Independence Dayfireworks. to look into his eyes and ‘Yes, Ican hear you!’” “I thought to myself: ‘I’m gonna understand what he needed. see those things again,’” hesaid. He described her intuitions The next day,Jake’s primary as “telepathic”. According to StevenLaureys, a Belgian care doctornoticedaveryslight movement inhisright wrist. He neurologist and expertonlocked-in syndrome, “Ithasbeen dartedtothe bedside. “Dothat again if youcan,” his doctor said. shownthatmore thanhalfofthe timeitwas the family andnot “Move your wrist.” Jake found that he didn’t have to thinkabout the physician who first realised that the patient was aware.” it; his wrist simplymoved. The movement was minor, but itwas Medical professionals, however, do caution that family members asign thathisbodywas waking up. His doctors were shocked. “see whatthey wish to see”. The joy Jake felt was “indescribable”.

Jake witnessed heated arguments in theroom where helay. He Within days, he managed toblink in response to questions. After couldonlystare straightahead as rows about his care echoed aweek, he wastransferred to the brain injury unit at the Spaulding through the house. Today, Jakeand hiswife are estranged and RehabilitationHospital across town.Inthe weeks that followed, no longer communicate, but he still creditsher as his lifeline while Jake underwent ashift in histhinking. He started repeating astring he waslocked in. “I wanted so badlytotelleveryone what Iwas of positivephrasestohimself –“You candothis”,“You’re gonna thinking,” Jake said. He endured tremendous guilt that he,adrug make it”.“Ijust reallywanted to get better,”hesaid. With effort, addict, had put hisfamily throughanightmarishordeal, and that he wasbeginning to move his neck andtongue. “I wassofreakin’ the statehad to foot amedical bill costing millions of dollars. excited.” Soon, he achieved acrude system of communication: tongue outfor “yes”, blinkfor “no”. Besides suffering constant discomfort and shame, his over- whelmingsensation wasofthe hourscrawling slowly by. “God Michelle Braley, aspeech therapistatSpaulding, wassurprised to dammit, theboredom!”hesaid. He worked outmaths problems be workingwith apatient previously considered terminallyill. “I in his head and fantasised about being outdoors,playinggames, hadnever seen acase as dire who became acandidate for rehab,” havingsex. He counted out1,000 seconds, over andoveragain. shesaid. Braley helped Jake learn to communicate non-verbally, In his room at thenursing home,aclockonthe wall hung just out starting with asimpleletterboard. As he gainedgreater control of view. “That waslike torture,” he told me.Televisionoffered over hisgaze, Braley brought him adevicecalled aMegaBee, a solace, not just as entertainment butalsoasameans of tracking tabletthatallows patients to useeye movements to pick letters time.Jake figured out what network cableshows appeared on andphrases,which then show up on ascreen. Jake cried whichnights. “I always wanted to know what time it was, what frequently spelling out those first messages, elated to pose dayitwas,how long it hadbeen.” questions thathad plagued him formonths.

Then therewerethe early morning preachers. Mostdays, Jake “A…M…I…S…T…I…L…L…G…O…I…N…G…T…O… would suffer acold sweat between 5amand 7am. Televangelists D…I…E,” he asked Rebecca Glass, aphysical therapist at oftenappeared on the local networks around then.Jakedespised Spaulding, in an early MegaBeesession. Shelookedupfromthe

9January 2021 THE WEEK 46 Thelast word screen. “Idon’t know what the future holds,” plodding sentences, and swore inthe shesaid, “but Idon’tthink so, Jake.” disarming, down-to-earth manner of someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Once he could communicate, hospital staff couldevaluate his progress. “It was at that “I used to be soanxiousanddepressed,” pointthat I realised thatJakeknew exactly Jake told me.“But, after everythingI’ve what wasgoing on,” Braley said. Staff were been through, thingsjust don’t seem so bad.” stunned.Jake answered every question – Personalitychangesafter brain damage or about his condition, about his past–clearly. injury arewellestablished in the medical literature,andJakeisconvinced hehas How the brain repairs itselffollowing changed. “In some ways, he’sstill the same traumatic injury orprogressive disease old Jakey,” his Aunt Varda said. “In other remains mysterious. In recentdecades, ways, he feels like a completely different though,scientistshave learned much more person. He has such apositive attitude now.” about how new neural circuitsare formed, After meetingJake, Ispoke to hisfather.He andhow different areas ofthe brain are sighed and said that drugshad put his son “recruited” to recover lost function. Iasked in aterrible place. In his recovery, though, Seth Herman, abrain specialist atSpaulding, “He’s become theman Iwanted him to be.” how someone like Jake could recover. He cited the brain’s ability to transfer functions Scanshowing leukoencephalopathy Jakeisadamant that hiscondition improved to different areas. “The brain wants to heal, becauseofamental breakthrough – ashift in to change itselfand formnew neural pathways,” he said. hismindsetafter months ofbeing locked in.“Ireached apoint “Repetition iskey, and Jakewas willing to put in thework.” where Iwaslike, ‘Fuck this, I’m going to recover.’ Ithoughtabout nothing else for weeks,” he told me. Jake Haendel –who, for six Ateam of physical and occupational therapists spent weeks months,felt like a ghost in a brokenmachine –isconvinced that manipulating Jake’s muscles and using casts to realignhis limbs he managed tothink himself better. andimprove hismovement. Gains were modest,but significant. The autonomicstorms subsided. Jakegrewstronger. Heleft In April, aUSarmymedical taskforce was deployed to Tewksbury Spaulding in September 2018, andcontinuedhis rehabilitation hospital toaddress a spike in coronavirus cases.Hundreds of at WesternMassachusetts Hospital. He remained confined to patients tested positive. On 12 April, Jake woke with afever. hisbed and awheelchair, but hewas moving again and gaining Doctors presumed hehad Covid andhewas rushed to Mass confidence. By spring 2019, after intensive therapy, he was General. “Because of yourmedical historyand weakened auto- speakingagain: first vowel sounds,then simple phrases, like “I nomic system, there’sastrong chancewe’ll have to intubate you,” love you” and“thankyou”, and later full sentences. He made his doctor toldhim. video calls to friendswho hadn’t known his whereabouts for months, ecstatic at the chance to say: “Surprise,I’m alive!” In the pulmonary unit at Mass General, with his oxygen levels dropping,Jake pondered death. During Jake’s time at Western He went tosleep that night Mass,Ellen grew distant. By “Haendel is convinced that he managed expecting to be “tubed” in the the summer, she had stopped to think himself better” morning. “Iwas terrifiedof visiting. In May 2019, Jake going on a ventilator. Being put made alast efforttosave the under and trach’d[having a relationship, organising amovie date. Arecreational therapist tracheotomy] was my biggest fear–Iwasn’t sure if I couldgo took him to anearby cinema. Ellen met him there,and the throughitagain.” But Jake woke up hungry. “Friggin’ starving!” therapist settledthe couple into an empty row and left them he said. Hehad madearapid recovery. alone. Theysaw Breakthrough, a2019 filmabout ateenage boy recovering from acoma, holding hands as they watched scenes of In the following weeks, Jakenoticed improvements in his overall disintegrationand recovery. They were both emotional leaving condition. The weakness andnumbness in hisfeet hadvanished. the cinema, and agreed to video chatlater that night. Buthesays His knees and legs felt more flexible.Most dramatic were the shedidn’tanswer his call, and hehasn’t seen her since. changes in his voice: his monotone drone evolved into something more expressive, with better inflectionand intonation.Theeffects Locked-in syndromeisrare –there are only a handfulofknown of Covid-19 in patients with pre-existing neurological conditions cases confirmed each year. Mostsufferers arevictims of stroke or remainpoorlyunderstood.Jake’s doctors hope to learn more traumatic brain injury; veryfew regain significantmotor function. about what impact, if any, Covidmight have hadonhim. Jakeisone of fewtoemergefrom alocked-in state; doctors describe his recovery as “remarkable” and “unique”. Although Although Jake isn’t allowed visitors at Tewksbury, where MRI scans continue to show signs of damage to his brain,hehas lockdown measures remain in place, he keeps busy, recording recovered the powerofspeech, andhopes to walk again soon. videos warning viewers aboutthe disastrous effectsofheroin useand offering insight into theprocessofrecovering from Ifirst met Jake in February, at Tewksbury Hospital,anageing brain disease. “It’s so important to be able to communicate facility outside Boston. It was18months since he hadregained with people,” Jake said.“It’s the most important thingin theability to communicate, and, as he told me via text message, the world.” For years, he was shut offfrom other people, hisspeech had improved drasticallyinrecentmonths. Inavigated consumed by drugs. Whatbrings him joynow are moments long, hallways to apink-walled room in which he sat upright in of connection. bed, eagertotalk. Although hislimbsremainedcontractedand stiff, Jakewas apowerful personality with hazel eyes and awide, At theend of one of ourmeetings,Jake askedmeacurious searching face. He and Iare in close in age, both in our early 30s. hypothetical question. “Would you rather be able to walk without He greetedmewithawarm“How’sitgoin’, man?” amind, or think without abody?” He spokeinarushbefore I couldformulate an answer: “I would choose my mind over my Iwas taken aback by his cheerfulness. He is self-conscious about body.Evenafter being locked in,Iwouldstill choosemymind.” hisnew laugh–before he gotill,itwas deep and loud; now it’s high-pitchedand breathy–but he chuckled constantly,even Alonger versionofthisarticleappeared in The Guardian. when describing his darkest moments.Hespoke in slow, ©2020Guardian News&Media Limited.

THE WEEK 9January 2021 Crossword 47

THE WEEK CROSSWORD 1242 ThiT sweek’s winner will receive an An Ettinger travel pass case and two Connell Guides will be giventothe senderof EEttinger(ettinger.co.uk) travelpass the first correctsolution to the crossword and the clue of the week opened on Monday ccase(assortedcolours), which retails 18 January.Email theanswersasascanofacompletedgrid or alist, with thesubjectline ata £105,and two ConnellGuides TheWeek crossword 1242, to [email protected]. Tim Moorey (timmoorey.com) (connellguides.com). 12 3 4567 ACROSS DOWN 1 An innocent getting lawyer’s 2 Preacher bitter about letters (7) 8 letter(6) 3 Herb, a comic character (5) 5 Actor’s playing with me?(2-4) 4 Curve in famous ship mentioned (3) 9 10 11 9 Youmay find them being thrown 6 Bone broken in Munster (7) around in oceans (6) 7 Previously spoken of bosses in on 10 Check on one individual,leader a diet that’s working (14) of school outing? Couldbeme(8) 8 Training a Pret a Manger employee 12 13 14 15 12 Current retreating is correct (4) may need? (8,6) 13 Tropical grasshopper, no tail in 11 A spot of bother with change of place (5) scene for being away (7) 15 Victor leaving work brings time 14 Mistakes coming from early riser for apresent (4) and delivery company (7) 16 17 16 Complain leaving hospital and 17 Aristocrat in a Brontë novel? (7) get the sack? (4) 19 “Former UK Party of failure” – 17 Spinal anaesthetistneededfor Spectator (7) old issue (4-6) 20 Fatty model seen under a 18 19 20 18 Plan to recycle green or yellow police officer! (7) drink (10) 23 Recorded position after a 20 Cultured organisation with no Kennedy left (5) leader in place (4) 26 Term for ball over Becker’s 21 22 23 24 21 One foremost in brotherhood head? (3) or similar society (4) 22 Amonth in Jerusalem region is anovelty? Not entirely (5) 25 26 27 24 Asmoother club (4) 25 Relation abroad? (8) 27 Rob again backed afitter (6) 28 Act like an idiot and get lost! (4,2) 29 Harry’s naughty ending in wigging 28 29 given by his Granny (6) Name Address Clue of the week: Queen’s coach,movingher onwards (5-5, first letter H) Tel no The Guardian, Quixote Clue of the week answer:

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