Sally and I were invited to a Sri Lanka conservation event in London by our dear friend Daisy Bunn, part of the family behind Hickstead, the home of British show-jumping. Daisy and her music producer husband have a home in Sri Lanka, where they also support an educational charity.
The evening featured superb photography of the endangered flora and fauna of that beautiful island. Clemmie and Brian had a wonderful holiday there last year and spoke very fondly of it.
There was also a fascinating short film about the water hyacinth industry. Men farm the plants while women harvest the raffia-like roots to weave bags and boxes. The event was attended by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, a real compliment to the charity and its work. Countryfile presenter Anita Rani was also there.
It was a memorable evening celebrating important conservation and educational work.
We travelled by train, and I received several text messages from my bank asking about payments at Alton Station. It seems I tapped the contact point on the ticket machine several times by mistake.
I explained that I have dementia and can easily become confused in situations like that. They were extremely understanding, noted my condition and even sent me information about an app designed to help people use electronic banking more safely.
I do wish ticket offices stayed open longer. They are enormously helpful for those of us living with conditions such as dementia. The Alton station team is always terrific, but ticket machines can be very complicated. Many of us with dementia much prefer dealing with people. It feels safer and more reassuring.
Meanwhile, the world of domestic politics remains deeply immersed in Labour’s leadership entanglements. One BBC Ten O’Clock News headline dramatically suggested that the starting gun had been fired by Andy Burnham seeking the nomination for Makerfield, vacated by Josh Simons.
The following day, the altogether more measured lunchtime news clarified that there is still a very long way to go. No prospective candidate yet has the required nominations, and Burnham would still need to win Makerfield before any wider leadership ambitions could come into play.
The manoeuvring and shadow boxing are already well underway. It made for a lively Prime Minister’s Questions, with MPs from all sides mischievously probing whether Keir Starmer backed Andy Burnham or Wes Streeting on membership of the EU and the Single Market.
I had expected this week’s parliamentary exchanges to be especially bruising, and they did not disappoint.
Alastair Stewart: This week, I am reminded of how old friends, family joy, and kindness carry us through
| GB NEWSThe debate over sanctions against Russia became particularly heated, with criticism that the Government was watering down and phasing in measures because of the energy price crisis, potentially allowing more Russian oil purchases.
Kemi Badenoch produced one memorable line, saying: “We’re going to buy more Russian oil and impose price caps in supermarkets. It’s as if the Soviet Union won the Cold War.”
When challenged by Green MP Hannah Spencer, Starmer responded with what many regarded as the line of the day: “The Greens think their leader walks on water. We now know he lives on water but doesn’t pay the right council tax.”
Away from politics, I had a lovely letter from my old friend Christian May at City AM. Back when he was Executive Editor, we were frequent lunch companions over many years. He wrote to say he missed the clarity I always tried to bring to news and current affairs and suggested we arrange a catch-up. We are working on it. His kind words cheered me enormously.
GB News Royal Editor Cameron Walker also posted a touching message saying how much he had enjoyed working with me and that he hoped I would not mind him admitting he had grown up watching me present the news. Quite the opposite. I told him I was deeply honoured.
Old friends and new friends alike are second only to family in lifting one’s spirits and reminding us of happier times and enduring connections. Sal also organised a full family dinner party to say goodbye, for now, to Clem and Brian.
The prospect of breaking bread with all our children and grandchildren puts everything else into perspective. It was joyous. One particular highlight was watching the grandchildren feed strawberries to the tortoise in a room overflowing with toys, books and laughter.
I also received another thoughtful email from Peter, Lord Chadlington, brother of John Gummer and one of the great figures in public affairs. He mentioned attending one of his regular lunches with fellow Cambridge friends, gatherings they have maintained for more than fifty years at White’s Club, where he and I often met.
One of the guests, he told me, is also living with vascular dementia. Peter ended his email with a line that moved me deeply: “We send you our very, very best and thank you for those lovely memories.”