Very sad to have had to announce the death of my friend Jeffrey Archer on the show last night. A man of talents, flaws, positivity and bouncebackability, with a zest for life. He was a terrific interviewee. He sometimes invited me to his flat on Albert Embankment as he loved political gossip. His trilogy of Prison Diaries remain the best books of the last 20 years on what life is like in prison. He sold 350 million books in 47 languages in 114 countries but the literary cogniscenti always looked down their noses at him. I tried in vain to get him to write his autobiography. Yes, he sometimes lacked judgement, no he never achieved his aim to be a front rank politician, yes he did some bad things. But what a life. What. A. Life. @Jeffrey_Archer
A very powerful, emotive speech by Burnham. Full of radical ideas, most of which I think are terrible, but canโt argue with his delivery or tone. Not seen anything quite like it from any PM since Blair.
Possibly the most consequential party conference leaderโs speech in decades. Assuming he delivers on most of it. A big assumption. V disappointing nothing of note on defence, though. Tune in at 7 on @LBC for more!
And this is why our welfare budget now costs more than the State receives from income tax. Utter madness. The Conservatives enabled this to happen. Now they must commit to dismantling it.
Britain's first reservoir for 30 years has been delayed another five years.
Now, Heathrow 3rd runway delayed until 2039
Why? The regulatory purgatory that imprisons UK growth - and will imprison Burnham unless he reforms.
My Times column:-
https://t.co/Dg1rQSoFsn