Faulty connection

There’s no doubting her passion for the programme of which she is now chief of staff. Talking to Roger Bolton on Radio 4’s Feedback slot, Sarah Sands told us repeatedly how much she loved Today, how it was ‘a privilege’ to be in charge of such a ‘flagship’ programme, how its length, three hours, was such a luxury after years spent in the newspaper business. She was so happy to have so much time to cover big subjects and invite so many experts into the studio to talk about their subject. She relished the challenge of preserving the programme’s ‘depth and resonance’, its ‘great intelligence’ and ‘thoughtfulness’.

Sands was responding to recent criticisms that there are now too many ‘soft’ interviews on the programme, not enough hard-edged reportage, and that, in particular, the themed programme about London Fashion Week had failed to investigate that business properly, appearing instead to be rather in awe of fashion’s glamour, its celebrity and luxury brands.