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Worst political movie ever made? That was my initial and perhaps somewhat harsh judgment as I left the cinema after watching In the Loop which was so widely-praised I just had to go and see it. The main character is meant to be based on Alastair Campbell, legendary spin-doctor for Tony Blair.
Alastair Campbell: film version of his diaries would have been better (Photograph by
Alan Betson)
An old editor of mine use to discourage us from writing stories about the Labour Party and the trades unions because he found them boring. But you couldn’t really dismiss Labour as boring these days.
Eager young faces at the Labour conference (picture by Cyril Byrne) (more…)
I was sitting practically nose-to-nose with Brian Cowen today at a press conference. Need I tell you that he looked sombre? (more…)
Two very different perspectives on Conor Cruise O’Brien, who died last week. Niall Meehan provides a highly-critical analysis. Michael McDowell (not the former minister and PD leader) is much more sympathetic. (more…)
Conor Cruise O’Brien had a very fine mind. He wrote like an angel. He was courageous and uncompromising in argument. He was right about some things and wrong about others but his passing last night means a light has gone out all over the island.
Conor Cruise O’Brien (1917-2008)
