Tribune – Comment, news and reviews from Britain's democratic left

Allah be praised! Lauren Booth has converted to Islam. Anyone who suggests she can’t stand even to be in the same church as her brother-in-law should wash their mouths out.

CND did enjoy the unfortunate grounding of HMS Astute, the nuclear submarine undergoing sea trials, on a sandbank off Skye. “It shows the dangers of continuous Trident patrols.” Expect the sub’s commander to face a court martial. Ostensibly for being several hundred metres away from the navigation channel, but really for making the Royal Navy look stupid.

What’s with Quentin Letts? The Daily Mail’s parliamentary sketchwriter came over all unnecessary at the sight of David Laws – “a serious loss to the coalition” – in action in front of a select committee. “He was calm, thoughtful, interesting, mature. He even coped with a bluebottle which kept dive-bombing him. An impulsive man would have swatted the thing. Mr Laws just kept brushing it away like a
man declining seconds of trifle.” Take a shower, Quentin, take a shower…