
'The most beautiful rock star in history'
She also called Harry 'the most beautiful rock star in history,' before having second thoughts.
'Actually, Debbie, you've got to share it with Kurt,' she said, a nod to Nirvana's late frontman and her own husband.
'Kurt and Debbie. Can you really honestly think of anybody in rock and roll history …?' Love began. And then found out she could. 'Stevie!' (I'm presuming Stevie Nicks, not Little Stevie, though it could be Stevie Wonder, I suppose.)
'OK,' she concluded, 'Stevie, Debbie, Kurt.'
It's a decent shout, you have to say.
But back to the politics. After the horror show that was the last Tory government (a malign bunch of utter incompetents, and that's me being kind) I'm pulling for Sir Keir, but, let's face it, he's not making it easy.
To be fair he didn't have his troubles to seek. The economy is a mess, the world's at war. There are easier paper rounds.
And he has been under the cosh from the get-go. The left pilloried him for not being Corbyn. The right - and most of the media are in this camp - didn't like him because, well, he wasn't Tory. And because he wasn't their favourite current thing in politics; what we might call the 'charismatic a***ehole' as in Farage and Trump.
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But even so, he's hardly knocking it out of the park, is he? As Starmer's Stormy Year (Radio 4, Monday) reminded us, the last year has been one of U-turns, rebellions (currently ongoing), alienating your core voters, and shockingly poor public messaging.
The programme saw the BBC's chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman talk to some in the Starmer government, union leaders, civil servants and Moneybox's Martin Lewis to compile a report card on the Prime Minister's first year in office.
'Must do better,' was the main takeaway. In the plus column were the Prime Minister's authoritative handling of the Southport riots just weeks after coming into power, as well as his deft handling of President Trump and his support for Ukraine.
As for negatives, well, where do you start? The winter fuel debacle, the sacking of Sue Gray, the ongoing arguments over benefit cuts … The list goes on. As the Unite union's Sharon Graham pointed out, people voting for a Labour government were looking for change not managerialism.
That change has been slow in coming. Or maybe it's just not getting reported. There was a progressive story to tell here: higher taxes to fund public services, workers' rights, renters' reform, clean energy investment. 'This is Starmerite social democracy,' Zeffman suggested.
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But it wasn't something he seemed that keen to explore himself. Instead, the programme cut to Rain Newton-Smith, the director of the CBI, to have a pop at it.
Ah well. Still, this was a solid recounting of the first year of this Labour government; inevitably a bit Westminster bubbly and as much about personality as policy. But I can think of a few bigger BBC names who would have made a worse job of it.
So far Starmer's report card is a bit C+. Maybe B minus on a good day. Not great, but then again not Truss levels of awfulness. That said, any government of whatever salt has to be a bit more ambitious than just being better than Liz Truss.
Liz Truss
Over on Radio 3 Erik Satie was composer of the week. On Sunday Feature, music journalist Jude Rogers explored Satie's influence on 1970s and 1980s pop - from Kate Bush to Ultravox and Gary Numan - and his pioneering role in ambient music, via his furniture music.
Satie's work is familiar to all of us - even if you didn't realise it - through their use in cinema and advertising. His almost evanescent music is now everywhere.
This was a lovely documentary full of gorgeous minimalist music from Satie and others. It felt like sinking into a warm bath of sound.
Kate Bush
But there was a bit of gravitas in there too. At one point Numan summed up the challenge that faced all creative people: 'The problem is you create something that becomes popular and then the world expects you to just stop then and just carry on regurgitating that.
'If you think about it, that's the very opposite of what creative people want to do. They want to create another thing and they hope it's as good or as successful as that one. But in a way it doesn't really matter as you are moving forward. You are forever trying to move forward.'
A lesson for Sir Keir perhaps?
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This Natural Life, Radio 4, Thursday, July 10, 3pm
Martha Kearney returns with a new series of This Natural Life. She starts off by dropping in on the singer Charlotte Church who now runs a healing retreat in a valley in Powys.

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Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
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Hospitality horror show: Four in five firms hike prices after Budget tax blow with 84,000 jobs lost as half axe staff
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Scottish Sun
20 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
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In 2023, Great Yarmouth Borough Council won an injunction preventing hotels along its seafront from being used to house asylum seekers.


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
How Rachel Reeves will RUIN British horse racing for millions of fans in her desperation to increase taxes
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Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Horseracing supports rural communities and towns all over Britain Credit: Alamy 3 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has created a huge, £51billion black hole in the public finances Credit: Reuters 3 A bookmaker pictured at Royal Ascot in 2022 Credit: Getty Horseracing is the second-largest spectator sport, with five million people watching every year across 59 courses. It generates £4.1billion for the economy and backs 85,000 jobs. We have the best horses, the best trainers and four of the top ten races in the world. It supports rural communities and towns all over Britain, including West Suffolk, home to the Newmarket racecourses, which I'm proud to represent in Parliament. But the Racing Tax will put this British success story in grave danger. Right now, bookies pay a 15 per cent tax rate on racing, but Labour's plan to combine all online gambling taxes into a single rate could increase it to 21 per cent. 'Mindless free-for-all' Because racing is also subject to the Betting Levy, ministers would put racing at a competitive disadvantage against the most addictive kinds of online gaming. It could mean £330million of lost revenue for racing in just the first five years, and put 2,752 jobs at risk in the first year. This would lead to higher prices and less racing because of lost income. This proves Labour doesn't understand racing at all. Punters who follow the horses, on the whole, tend to be more selective and use their knowledge, judgment and skills when placing their bets at the bookies, on the course or online. British Horse Racing to Strike for the First Time: Industry Unites Against Betting Tax Hike Plus there are only so many races that you can put money on. But online gambling is a mindless free-for-all and incredibly addictive. There is simply no reason why horseracing should be treated in the same way. Yet, in the desperation to increase taxes, racing — and millions of racing fans — will suffer. Some assume racing has the cash to spare, but this is not true at all. While the industry is very valuable to the economy, its profit margins are tight for breeders and trainers. They invest a lot, but don't always see a return. We are already at risk of falling behind global competitors — such as France — because we are breeding fewer thoroughbred horses. But our racing industry isn't taking this lying down. On September 10, the day before the St Leger festival at Doncaster, no races will take place in Britain. Everyone in the industry knows the financing of horseracing needs reform. Nick Timothy The four race meetings at Lingfield Park, Carlisle, Uttoxeter and Kempton Park will be cancelled. The industry is taking a financial hit to prove its point. Usually, races are only cancelled because of awful weather, equine virus outbreaks or national crises. But the whole industry, from owners to trainers to jockeys, is standing together to protest against Labour's plans. It will be the first time in the sport's modern history that the industry will voluntarily refuse to hold races. Together, they will head to Westminster and make their voices heard. Everyone in the industry knows the financing of horseracing needs reform. Australia and France give horseracing a lot more government support through direct funding or betting taxes than us. Private investors have deeper pockets in the USA and Japan. Prize money is more modest in Britain — which means races in places like the Middle East might become more appealing to owners and trainers than races at home. But the industry keeps getting punished. No progress has been made on reforming the Horserace Betting Levy, which provides a third of the industry's income. 'Nobody has any fun' Affordability checks have been introduced for anyone betting more than £150 on racing within 30 days, driving customers away and costing £3billion in lost turnover in just two years. Labour ministers keep offering us warm words, but fail to deliver. The Racing Tax is the last straw. Opposing Labour's tax plans does not mean we don't want change. The Horserace Betting Levy can be improved by applying it to bookies' total turnover rather than just their profits. It could cover bets placed on overseas races so long as the bookies are based in Britain. The rate could be raised above ten per cent. This would be done to the benefit of the industry and punters alike. There is also more the sport can do to modernise and increase revenue. But the Racing Tax is classic Labour — faceless bureaucrats interfering with people's lives, undermining a successful industry and making sure nobody has any fun. They just don't understand how the economy works, which is why they are killing it with more tax and regulation. We should all stand with horseracing to protect this vital but endangered industry.