Queen plays the poor card

At King’s Cross Station a dowdy, modestly dressed woman, her white hair covered by a head scarf, makes her way slowly down platform 11 towards the waiting train.  She reaches the first carriage door and climbs gingerly inside, the stiffness in her hips and knees betraying all of her 83 years.   She disappears from [...]

“£1000 for a rail ticket? A bargain”

The BBC is reporting today that Britain can now boast its first £1000 rail ticket.  This will, apparently, buy you a first-class return, bought on the day of travel, for the 1700-mile round trip from Newquay in Cornwall to Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands. (Why anyone would want to make the trip in [...]

Prince Andrew’s UKTI role should be on a business footing

Email to: Mervyn Davies, the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business mpst.davies@berr.gsi.gov.uk 27th October 2009 Dear Lord Davies, As I’m sure you are aware, over the last few days there has been considerable public anger at comments made by Prince Andrew in relation to his role as the UK’s Special Representative for [...]

Duke of York: public service or self-service?

The Duke of York likes to give the impression that he carries out his role as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment as some sort of charitable work, an immense duty of selfless self-sacrifice for the public good. In a recent interview reported in the Financial Times he makes the claim that: [...]