Must see TV

Some of the best journalism never appears in print and we had two stunning examples last night.  Ross Kemp’s journey with 1 Royal Anglian as they prepared for and entered Helmand was vivid and compelling – it had me hooked like an episode of 24. It is the first series I have seen that takes the viewer to the frontline of Britain’s most ferocious war since Korea. It was just episode one, but set your Sky Plus for the rest. And if you don’t have Sky, this series is the excuse you need to get it.

Next was Channel Four’s Dispatches presented by my counterpart at the Statesman, Martin Bright, on the cost of Red Ken. It was one jaw-dropping exposure after another. His “Kenocracy” of advisers, on £120,000 a year who were all in Socialist Action in 1991 and have regrouped at Cabinet level salaries. His “economic adviser” John Ross was ex employee of the Russian Communist Party.