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• For all the risks and horror, someone has to head into those war zones. The fearless video journalist might do so for the Ruptly TV news agency. “News rarely happens in nice quiet places. You should be ready, willing and able to cover riots, wars, earthquakes, floods, etc,” its ad says. “It’s going to be dangerous. Last six months alone we had two people who should thank their flak jackets for saving their lives.” Wanted, go-getters. Not wanted: “Whiners of all sorts who think that stake-outs are too long, body armour is too heavy and riots are too dangerous.” But might anyone suppose that working for part of Putin’s Russia Today propaganda outfit could ever be anything but difficult?
• Wasn’t our “effing” Tory prime minister at his most persuasive in Scotland? But then the whole party is on a charm offensive these days. Just recently Grant Shapps sent letters to ordinary sorts, looking to cadge £20 with the promise that each donor will receive a limited edition party mug. Labour has the trade unions, he said. “They’re donating a staggering £1,000 an hour to try and make Ed Miliband prime minister. If we’re going to stop them, everyone needs to play their part. Because unlike Labour, our campaign is funded by individuals like you.” But that’s not the entire picture, is it? Alongside those who donate £20, there is David Ross, the Carphone Warehouse co-founder, who is estimated to have given hundreds of thousands of pounds. And Michael Farmer, the financier and party co-treasurer, who gave £333,500 in the second quarter of this year. And Lord Harris of Peckham, said to have coughed up a cool £3m. If £20 yields a mug, £3m must deserve a tea-set.
• A stressful life, hard at the bottom, hard in its way at the top. Take millionaire property tycoon Paddy McKillen. Three years ago he was plunged into battle with the Barclay brothers, owners of the Telegraph and the Ritz, who would love to add Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkeley to their portfolio. Trouble is, McKillen owns them with a one-third stake, and he hasn’t much time for the Barclays. They in turn, persist. Little wonder, then, that U2’s Bono and guitarist The Edge, who co-own with McKillen the Clarence Hotel in Dublin, have sought to cheer him up. In the sleeve notes of U2’s latest opus, Songs of Innocence, McKillen is commended for “grace under fire”.
• The Duke of Marlborough, meanwhile, will need all his ancestor’s skills to fight the new Battle of Blenheim. He wants to super-size his home town – Woodstock in north Oxfordshire – by building 1,500 houses. But the duke and his fellow developer have a fierce opponent, for Peter Jay – former ambassador to Washington, former aide to Robert Maxwell, former BBC economics editor, and formerly known as “the cleverest young man in England” – is irate. In the Oxford Times, Jay also rails against permission granted granted in future in return for promises of community gain. That would amount to the “buying of the council itself”. Strong stuff. Blenheim could yet see more blood spilled.
• After an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey, normality returns for Rebekah and Charlie Brooks. And they have places aplenty in which to celebrate their freedom. Kingham has become a foodie destination with both local pubs – the Wild Rabbit Inn and the Kingham Plough – making it to the top of the latest national Good Food Guide. Not bad for a village of just 900, including Mr and Mrs Brooks and Blur guitarist turned organic farmer Alex James. PM Dave and Jeremy Clarkson live nearby. The Oxfordshire set may be troubled at times, but they never go hungry.
• Finally, though there have been remedies for the seven-year itch, none has proved completely satisfactory. It is now seven years since your diarist came to post, offering news and miscellany, interacting with our fine, knowledgeable, funny army of readers. It’s been a glorious responsibility, but it’s time to shoulder another. Our diary will also take a rest. In its place from next week, the world seen through different eyes in a new column. A change is as good as a rest. Generous as ever, we offer both.
Twitter: @hugh_muir
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