David Behrens News Today

The world will fall silent on Thursday and pause for a moment on its relentless path towards self destruction as we remember the sacrifices of those who brought it back from the brink last time. But even in the brief stillness, will we hear the voices of the few who remain?

I have made a habit of avoiding morning TV since I had the misfortune to direct some of it. It was 30 years ago and on BBC One, not ITV, but the atmosphere, I can tell you, was as toxic as it apparently is now.

The signalman’s red flag finally drops this weekend on TransPennine Express, the wretched rail contractor that made traversing the North of England as unpleasant as crossing the Andes on an infirm camel.

Liz Truss and Justin Welby have been competing on two fronts lately. Quite apart from trying to out-do each other in the silliest hat competition at the Coronation, there is the rather more serious matter of insisting on being heard when no one is listening.

There is much confusion surrounding the emerging technology of artificial intelligence. And no wonder: most of us are too artificially embarrassed to admit that we don’t understand what we’re talking about.

It’s hard for most of us to appreciate the rejoicing that went on at the last coronation. The people who came out to eat just-off-the-ration cakes at street parties in every village were celebrating not just their new Queen but themselves.

Sir Rod Stewart is an unlikely poster boy for the NHS. This week he came out in support of striking doctors, having previously offered to pay for MRI scans in the hope of reducing the waiting lists. But he doesn’t wear it well, this suit of shining armour.

It has been a week of quintessentially British dissent. Perhaps we should be thankful that in a world where others make their point by discharging guns at all and sundry, we reserve our outrage for someone who tips orange powder over a snooker table.

They’re supposed to be on our side, but with fuel costs and the dumping of sewage all spiralling out of control, one has to question whether our regulatory authorities are in thrall to the businesses they are supposed to keep in check. Who regulates the regulators?

If there’s one thing guaranteed to make the heavens open, it’s the threat of a hosepipe ban.