As diligent students of British politics understand, most votes under our first past the post system make no real difference to the result of a general election. The ones that count are those cast by swing voters in marginal constituencies. The Conservatives have been confident in their assertions that, despite a narrowing gap in nationwide opinion surveys, their lead among these defining voters in the marginals is big enough to make the crucial difference. A carefully targeted poll in this morning's Times suggests their confidence may be misplaced.
Anthony Loyd describes the agonising moral difficulties of reporting on natural disasters, conflicts and famines. First years may remember some shots of the old man he talks about from Grozny in Richard Parry's film.
I felt like Loyd was just getting into the swing of things there, and then it was over. I wish there was a book or something where I could read more by him... ;)
The thing I like about this piece is that it says in so few words what other pieces may have taken reams of paper to say. The shortness of this piece makes it a powerful confession.