I am quite warming to this man! (Spoiler alert!)

Small Talk
#21

Lovely comment today in the Times …

Stick to cooking, Ed
Ed Balls is a man in search of a métier. He is an economist turned academic turned politician turned, er, dancer and now serious cook. The last phase, culminating in his win this week of Celebrity Best Home Cook on BBC One, seems a brilliant fit. I have interviewed him twice for our magazine and each time he could hardly wait to get his pinny on (the last time he cooked me a soufflé which was delicious). I was pleased to hear him on the radio to mark his victory but despaired when he spent most of the interview talking about “global Britain” (surely a phrase trademarked by Gordon Brown) when all we wanted was lasagne tips. Remember Ed: food is the future.

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#22

I can offer you several alternatives Alex. I personally like the Eddie Izzard one best.

John O’Sullivan: “Our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.”

Winston Churchill: “Manifest destiny was on the march and it was unfortunate that Mexico stood in the path”

Eddie Izzard: “It’s my manifest destiny to wear a skirt in all countries.”

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#23

She works very well as Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

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#24

No doubt she does and is delightful as long as you are not a woman who works for her.

#25

She clearly isn’t phased by Boris Johnsons bluster - there are many videos,

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#26

I think it is most unfair to tar husband and wife with the same brush. I hope that’s not what you are imputing Jane.
I, for example, absolutely cannot stand Victoria Coren Mitchell. But I think her husband David Mitchell is an absolute sweety - I am often amazed at the choices people make in their spouses, but they really are not responsible for their OH’s behaviour.

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#27

They do seem an odd couple! I don’t mind her or him.

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#28

Absolutely not…he I only knew vaguely and found merely off-putting. She I had much closer contact with. Unfortunately.

#29

Sorry to hear that Jane. I do wonder though to what extent power and politics corrupt people - and in some ways strangely women perhaps more than men. And I hasten to add not ALL women - far from it. But there are those who seem to believe that the only way they can advance is to out-testosterone the men (if that makes sense) and behave badly as a result.

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#30

40,000 deaths at that point and evidently political considerations did trump public health. Despicable character.

#31

I only know the lady from her appearances on TV - mainly when guesting on HIGNFY. I think she’s terrific.

#32

you don’t watch only connect then

#33

Only with the sound off. :grin: :grin: :grin:

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#34

I’m with you Sue. That totally unbearable (IMHO) programme ’ Only Connect’ and those cleverdick questions - where is ‘What’s my Line’ when you need it?

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#35

But don’t you feel good when you get some of them right!

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#36

All too rarely. :grin: Which seems to me to be the same for most of the contestants. So of course when they don’t know the answer that allows Victoria to be unbelievably smug, as she reads it off a prompt card ('tisn’t as if she knows it either) and as for her attempts at humour!!!

#37

She does satire, so the intro’s are irony. Not done particularly well, but not meant to be laugh out loud humour,

And she does credit the elves for the questions, and says she doesn’t get the answers at times.

#38

Not even raise a slight smirk type humour. Iron without the “y” I’m thinking, her delivery is so leaden.

#39

I hope my wife hasn’t seen this post as she is watching it later and doesn’t yet know who’s won. Spoiler alert would have been appropriate!

#40

Heavens Alex, where has she been hiding? It’s been all over the media for days. I don’t watch the programme, I just caught his follow-up interviews. I certainly wasn’t commenting on anything other than what the world and his wife (except yours of course) already knew about.