The Londoner: Come back Politics Live, your scrutiny is needed

In today's Diary: Rachel Reeves calls for Politics Live to return / Roisin Conaty's Coke addiction / Ed Balls performs at first festival / George Freeman finds a local angle 
Will Self's death stare at Mark Francois on the BBC's Politics Live show
BBC
11 May 2020

Labour’s Rachel Reeves has called for the return of the BBC’s lunchtime show Politics Live, hosted by Jo Coburn and Andrew Neil. It went off air in March due to coronavirus, but the shadow minister for the Cabinet Office told us it was now time for a comeback.

“The Government needs to explain its policies and lot of people watched the show,” she said. “It’s great that Parliament has returned, but scrutiny also involves government, opposition and other figures going head to head. There’s not that many opportunities to do that and Politics Live provided one.”

We understand the issue is the subject of heated debate within the BBC. Robert Halfon, Conservative chairman of the Commons education committee, said: “We need this programme back, however difficult it may be for us politicians. The more scrutiny and transparency, the better.”

Politics Live enjoyed a 30 per cent higher audience than its predecessor Daily Politics, and drew a committed following who liked the change in format which allowed for broader discussion with more female guests.

Our favourite moment was the legendary stare-off between Will Self and Mark Francois. TV gold.

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Addicited: Roisin Conaty (Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Dave Benett/Getty Images

Comedian actress and Afterlife star Roisin Conaty confesses an addiction to Coke. The stuff in a can.

“I am a big fizzy drinker. I would say half my personality comes from Coca-Cola.” She tells the podcast Off Menu. “I really notice it when I haven’t had it. There’s a real drop in verve. If I haven’t had it in a couple of days, it’s very flat.” Can’t beat the real thing.

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Author Lauren James wrote an accidentally prophetic novel last year, The Quiet at the End of the World, which is set in London and features a pandemic. Now, James confesses that watching the news play out in the same way as her book has been “eerie”. She tells the Bookseller: “I’m not sure I’m enjoying it.” Not just you Lauren...

SW1A

Banging the drum: Ed Balls (Photo: Ed Balls)

ED BALLS notched up another first last night with his festival debut. The former shadow chancellor turned Strictly star played a bongo soulfully alongside Ciaran Algar at the CCC folk festival, held online. Next stop: Britain’s Got Talent.

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George Freeman MP says the “best bit” of the new “Stay Alert” slogan is its green and yellow — the colours of the team near his patch, Norwich City FC. Everything’s coming up East Anglia: the club’s vice-president is Ed Balls.

Beware of the doors: pooch at scene of grisly accident

Vogue editor Edward Enninful posed outside Vogue House with his dog Ru, saying he missed his team “dearly”. But Ru should be wary of those revolving doors, where Tatler’s dachshund Alan TBH Plumptre was involved in an unfortunate freak accident in 2013. RIP Alan... Meanwhile, Jamie Dornan said: “Dressing up with my daughters took a turn,” as he introduced “Jenny (with the blue hair)”. And model Ikram Abdi Omar looked fierce in a vibrant pink headscarf.

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