A delightful reminder this week of the power of friendship. If an old friend of yours has dementia do get in touch, call, drop by, send a text or social media message or even write: remember that form of communication!?
On the news front, developments over Ukraine have troubled me deeply. Katherine Foster did a great job for GB News viewers and listeners navigating us through the labyrinth of crumbling alliances, and the growing chasm between Trump’s USA and Europe… I think NATO is in deep trouble.
PM Starmer appears to be trying to have it both ways, going to Washington for talks but with his strong support for Zelensky echoing around DC, he may be snubbed on trade and tariffs.
As Oscar Wilde observed, we are two nations divided by a common language, and much more now I’d suggest. As talks began in Saudi Arabia between Russia and the USA on ending the war in Ukraine and Russia in the absence of Ukraine and its allies in Europe, Trump suggested Ukraine had no place at the talks. He claimed he could have settled the conflict years ago and implied Ukraine had started it.
I remember reporting on Russia’s invasion. To suggest the invaded country started this war is crazy. It is like suggesting Poland started the Second World War by being invaded by Nazi Germany.
Some in the Putin camp might suggest Ukraine started it by simply existing, because they believe, historically, that Ukraine is all part of Mother Russia. The US president had earlier criticised Zelensky, saying he had done a "terrible job" and claiming "he refuses to have elections" in Ukraine.
Sir Keir Starmer called Zelensky and told him it was "perfectly reasonable" for Ukraine to "suspend elections during wartime as the UK did during World War Two", Downing Street said the White House wouldn't have liked that.
Zelensky's five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion. Zelensky attacked Donald Trump, by saying his US counterpart is "living in a disinformation space" created by Russia in the era of social media, and with Musk, a senior Trump man, it is a toxic phrase.
I know having lived and worked in the USA how careful one must be with language… Calling someone a Liberal is terrible and implies much more than ‘easy going and a bit soft’, it is second only to calling an American a ‘commie’.
Language is beautiful but tricky. I watch Washington, Kyiv and Riyadh with worrying interest…. I am not convinced any of them are up to it… This is not the age of Churchill, Roosevelt or Molotov. As I mused on these matters and the calibre of people in public life, I got a lovely message from Nigel Evans, the MP for Ribble Valley and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. I have known and liked him for years. He asked how I was, said he’d been thinking of me since my diagnosis and regretted that I hadn’t been around so much, he also said he remembered me in his prayers, which touched me and mattered to me as a believer.
Alastair Stewart reflects on BBC presenter Janice Forsyth's untimely dementia diagnosis in this week's Living With Dementia
GB NEWSTalking about dementia diagnoses, I was sad to read that BBC Radio Scotland presenter Janice Forsyth has stepped down after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I didn’t know her personally, but what a career to cut short by this ghastly condition. I wish her and her family well and hope she is as lucky as I am with my friends and family. The broadcaster has worked for the BBC for more than 30 years, presenting shows on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Four and BBC R3.
Our daughter Clemmie completed the half marathon in Riyadh where she runs an international school and raised over £1300 for Dementia UK. They and I, and many others were profoundly grateful.
