Five Live, GB News, and a welcome distraction
Yesterday was interesting for several reasons.
First, I had to get up early in order to appear, via Zoom, on GB News. In the wake of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill clearing Parliament they wanted to discuss ‘Should smoking be banned completely?’.
That was at 7.20. A few minutes later I got a call from Five Live asking me to take part in the ‘the nation’s phone-in’ hosted by Nicky Campbell. I always find it a bit surreal talking to Campbell on the radio because, as I’ve mentioned before, our paths first crossed at Aberdeen University in the late Seventies. He was two years below me but we knew one another because I co-edited an independent, Private Eye-style student newspaper and for a short period he was a member of our editorial team.
I even remember the first time we met. We were recruiting new staff and interested parties were invited to meet me and Peter Young, my co-editor, in the bar (where else?) of our hall of residence. Four first year students, including Nicky and his friend, the late Allan Robb (who also went on to work for the BBC), turned up, and after a few drinks we recruited all four. (It seemed rude not to.)
Our working relationship didn’t last very long (Peter and I were sued for defamation and I think that spooked Nicky and Allan) and I barely knew him so we didn’t stay in touch. But whenever I’m on the Five Live phone-in I can’t help thinking how strange it is that we should be speaking, all these years later, on national radio.
Anyway, I took part in the first 30 minutes of yesterday’s phone-in, following which I did a mid-morning interview on BBC Radio Manchester. And that’s when the day started to get a bit weird because I had to ask them to bring it forward to 10.30 because I had a hospital appointment I couldn’t miss.
The appointment was for a minor procedure that was carried out by a nurse who began by asking me what my occupation was, so I told her, adding that I had just been on national radio criticising the Government’s plan for a nationwide ban on smoking outside hospitals. I’m not sure if this was entirely wise because she was holding a rather sharp and invasive implement in her hand, but it turned out that not only was she a former smoker, so too was the older colleague who was assisting her.
We then had a chat about smoking bans which just about covered the 15-minute procedure (that took place, I’m pleased to say, under local anaesthetic). I wouldn’t say the time flew by but it was a welcome distraction!
Below: On GB News yesterday morning. You can listen to the Five Live phone-in here.
