Emily Maitlis

Diary – 31 March 2006

Lambeth needs more rainbows and fewer shark attacks

issue 01 April 2006

Tuesday:
Television Society Awards. Grosvenor, Park Lane. Wore little white dress, big black bow, quite low neckline. Tripped over own handbag on way into hotel. Awkward frock moment. Think I got away with it. Not sure anyone noticed.

Wednesday:
Calls for more rainbows and fewer shark attacks in Lambeth. The council has come up with a New Inishativ, nicknamed — by me — Operation Crayon. They have asked the under-fives — by way of a letter home from nursery — to ‘draw improvements they would like to see made to the borough’. Astonishingly, their drawings did not focus principally on the spiralling costs of council tax nor the pitiful collection of litter. In the main, the young of Lambeth demanded to see fewer Angry Mothers, more Sunny Days, and a substantial increase in Curly Chimney Smoke. Democracy, they say, is a messy business. Particularly with finger paint.

But next time you consider the idiosyncrasies of the system in the Palestinian elections or indeed Iran, spare a thought for the poor voters of south London who may find council policy dictated by their own toddlers.

Thursday:
Pondering the need for a male sexual revolution.

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