Peter Rhodes on public sobbing, diverse banknotes and a new take on Toad and Co
A friend who flew a lot once told me the only time you should be scared on an airliner is when the cabin crew start screaming. That's because, unlike the passengers, they know exactly what is going on, what to worry about and what to ignore.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had a crying-crew moment last week when she burst into tears in the Commons. It wasn't any old politician who was sobbing; it was someone who knows exactly the true state of the economy. And if she's blubbing, we, the ignorant citizenry should all be joining in. (You may wish to bear this in mind if you ever see the Defence Secretary suddenly howling in the House).
The children's author M G Leonard has produced a new version of a much-loved classic: The Adventures of Portly the Otter - Untold Tales from The Wind in the Willows. Traditional fans may be horrified at any tinkering with the original storylines or the characters of Ratty, Moley, Badger, and mischievous Mr Toad. Yet judging from her Today (Radio 4) interview, Leonard clearly loves everything about Kenneth Grahame's immortal yarn; we should reserve judgment.
