Political memoirs and disquieting rumours

I feel as if I am the only person who really does not care whether or not William Hague is gay, straight or bi-sexual. On the other hand I do think it is desperately sad that he felt he had to reveal the private tragedy of his and Ffion's struggle to have a family in order to help put an end to the disquieting rumours about his private life.

Whilst of course public figures should know that their private lives will always be under public scrutinty, the sort of prurience that means that really personal stuff should be laid bare is horrible. One remembers the paparazzi trying to get 'good shots' of Gordon and Sarah Brown leaving hospital after the death of their first child, Jennifer, who was born prematurely. Surely the public don't really want to witness such private grief and should collectively boycott media showing such intrusive pictures - maybe then the editors would get the message and not send out the 'snappers' to intrude at such times.

Onto the publication of political memoirs - not such a big leap really....

Having listened to the various precis and reviews of Tony Blair's memoirs I really do not think I will be rushing out to buy them even though the profits are going to charity. I will wait until the book appears in a charity shop and benefit charity in that way. One political memoir that does sound quite interesting is the second volume of Chris Mullin's diaries [Mullin is of course the former Labour MP for Sunderland South]

Decline and Fall: Diaries 2005-2010

This is currently being serialised on BBC radio 4 and although obviously abridged is very entertaining. Maybe because Mullin is a journalist and author - his previous books include the first volume of his diaries, "A View From the Foothills" He was also the writer of the book and TV thriller, "A Very British Coup". As he was a minister in three departments there is quite a lot of name dropping for the interested!

Arrived home from the West yesterday to find my ballot papers for the Labour leadership on the doormat. Will fill them in and return forwith. And today my birthday present from all my children arrived - a Kindle. I am looking forward to playing with this, I already have a Sony e-Reader which is a means of transporting lots of books about ina small space and also helps with my neuro problems and the Kindle has lots of extra features too...

And now that I am home and can add photographs again to this blog here is one of myself looking contemplative across Bridgwater Bay!