This week I was lucky to be blessed by two acts of enormous kindness from the dizzying heights of politics, a world I have always loved and been attracted to. My friend Charles Clark once asked me if I regretted not going into elected politics as an MP as we had both planned in our student days. Charles did of course, and went on to hold high office in Government and in his beloved Labour Party.
When I said I DID regret it he quietly observed I might have achieved more than him as a senior TV journalist. We were part of a group that decided what mattered in the news and got to cover some very important events.
At the wonderful formal opening of the GB News Studio in Westminster, which I wrote about last week, the former executive producer of ITN’s News at Ten listed many of those events. These included the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, numerous General Elections, and Budgets. That really is influential and it remains a power that must be exercised with skill, judgement and a bit of artistry. Also speaking at the opening was Christopher Hope who brought with him a letter of regrets for non-attendance from the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle the MP for Chorley (like his father before him).
Lindsay invited us for drinks in the Speaker’s rooms which comprise a delightful suite at the base of the Elizabeth Tower atop of which hangs Big Ben. He pointedly wrote it was an invitation for me and Sally and we were both delighted to accept. We went on Monday and were wonderfully treated and entertained by the great man and his staff. We had been before as Speaker Wetherill was also a family friend. I think we both loved the portraits most. Sally is a bit of a student of the history of Art.
Alastair Stewart reflects on a week of generosity, grace, and Gorka
GB News
Christopher Hope also said the Prime Minister had sent his regrets and told Chris to tell me he'd be writing. He did and it is a wonderful letter, full of praise for my work and approach to it and for mentoring the next generation of TV journalists. I haven’t always seen eye to eye with the PM on policy or presentation but in that letter he proved what many who know him much better than I do have always told me. And that’s that he is a good, and kind man. it was a kindness I shall long remember and a letter I will always cherish.
As a family we enjoy Strictly Come Dancing. It is a class bit of TV production featuring real stars who are real celebrities unlike many of the makeweights on panel shows on TV… When I read Strictly professionals Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez were performing in their new Speakeasy Show in Basingstoke’s Anvil Arts Centre I thought Sally and I would both enjoy it. Our eldest son organised the tickets as it is online booking - not good for those of us with Dementia.
The night we went, sadly, Karen had had a bad fall and fractured her leg. She hobbled on stage to apologise and got a splendid reception. Gorka explained they had re-jigged the show and choreography which the company had worked tirelessly to perfect. They succeeded, it was brilliant. My favourite was the Cabaret section. A cast of a dozen dancers were supported by a splendid band of guitars, drums and a brass section. We loved every note and every step.
Dementia means I no longer drive so Sally did the honours having already taken me to Basingstoke for a hospital appointment that morning. My blood is still throwing up some mystery challenges. The consultant saw us in the private Hampshire Clinic although I am a very satisfied NHS patient… The general hospital staff were charming in telling us we’d come to the wrong hospital and they gave us a postcode and directions to where we should be. Tests done, we await our next appointment and hope for some answers.
Further away, Trump’s tariff nonsense continues to confuse and disrupt the world and the people. Markets crashed fearing a global trade war causing inflation shortages and unemployment. Interest rates in the money markets edged up so Trump paused armageddon for 90 days. The markets recovered a bit - not a vote of confidence but bargain hunting by traders in what they call bottom trawling. It still won’t end well.
So, all in all, quite a week, kindness from top people and craziness from others. And from Gorka and his ensemble a reminder via Cabaret that money makes the world go round - unless an idiot seizes control.
I hope you are enjoying the weather but perhaps like us you are desperate for rain for the fields, the garden… And the duck pond!
