Bibliogryphon

The current Conservative Party is a uneasy coalition of One Nation Tories and Brexit/Culture War nutters. They only stay together because neither one wants to give up the activist base (which is needed come election time). In a recent council by-election in my constituency the Conservatives won (albeit on a very low turnout)

Michael Portillo was meant to be the shining knight for the Tory Party who was going to shake them up and make them a credible opposition to New Labour but he lost his seat on that night in 1997. Most people outside the Tory party thought that Ken Clarke was the sensible choice for leader (especially after Michael Heseltine's Heart Attack) but for the party he was too pro-European so they went with the untested William Hague (who might have made a good successor to one of the names above but he was plunged in too quickly) for these decisions they spent 13 years in opposition. However we don't know whether Clarke would have been able to put up a credible fight at the 2001 election which hardly saw any seats change hands from Labour to Conservative. As to members of the cabinet who elicit respect. The discussion around who will lead the party after the election does not throw up names that inspire confidence. A lot will depend on the size and make-up of the rump of Conservative MPs left and who would want the job. By saying Penny Mordaunt sounds like the best of a bad bunch is really just demonstrating how bad things are

I think he was astonished (and possibly a bit disappointed) to win in 1992. As the Parliament progressed divisions over Europe and a few scandals meant things looked dire by 1997 the writing was on the wall especially after John Smith was replaced by Tony Blair

She was in North by Northwest which is generally considered to be Hitchcock's masterpiece and she won an academy award for On The Waterfront. She is in the top tier of Hollywood nonagenarians

The big difference between Sunak and Corbyn is that whilst a lot of people really disliked Jeremy Corbyn there was a hardcore of people who really liked him and flocked to see him speak. Whereas those people who do not dislike Sunak aren't singing his praises from the highest hills. It is greeted with a shrug and a better than Truss/Johnson/Starmer* *delete as appropriate

There is a building named after him at Nottingham Trent University

april 17 2024 71 Jeff Buckley — Hallelujah 39 Adele — Chasing Pavements -2 35 La Roux — In For The Kill -2 35 James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado — Broken Strings 33 Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys — Empire State Of Mind 32 Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody 30 Rihanna — Russian Roulette -2 28 Taylor Swift — Love Story 28 Sam Sparro — Black & Gold 21 The Script — The Man Who Can’t Be Moved 16 Britney Spears — Piece Of Me +4 13 Kid Cudi vs. Crookers — Day ’n’ Nite 07 The Saturdays — Just Can’t Get Enough

Rotherham part company with their manager two weeks after relegation to League one was confirmed He was only appointed a few weeks ago clearly with his mission to be to keep Rotherham in the Championship and failed but I think no-one should have been surprised at the outcome. In an extremely competitive league Rotherham have looked like an outlier for the entire season. Though as it stands it is looking like the bottom three are all Yorkshire clubs. Well hopefully Leeds will keep the Championship flag flying for Yorkshire next season (when they will be joined by Sheffield United)

17/4/24 67 Jeff Buckley — Hallelujah 39 Adele — Chasing Pavements 35 Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys — Empire State Of Mind 33 La Roux — In For The Kill 33 Sam Sparro — Black & Gold 33 James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado — Broken Strings 28 Taylor Swift — Love Story 28 Rihanna — Russian Roulette 27 The Script — The Man Who Can’t Be Moved 27 Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody 22 Michael Jackson — Man In The Mirror 18 Kid Cudi vs. Crookers — Day ’n’ Nite 16 The Saturdays — Just Can’t Get Enough  13 Britney Spears — Piece Of Me +4 09 Leona Lewis — Happy -6

Congrats @ladyfiona 1924 William Russell/Eva Marie Saint 1925 Pete Murray/Ysanne Churchman 1926 Timothy Dudley-Smith/Gudrun Ure 1927 Sandy Gall/Leontyne Price 1928 James Ivory/Queen Ratna of Nepal 1929 John Woodvine/Vera Miles 1930 Douglas Hurd/Edna O'Brien  1931 Ken Bates/Leslie Caron 1932 Roy Hattersley/Petula Clark 1933 Tinto Brass/Kim Novak

16.04.24 61 Jeff Buckley — Hallelujah 34 Michael Jackson — Man In The Mirror 31 Kid Cudi vs. Crookers — Day ’n’ Nite 31 James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado — Broken Strings 31 Adele — Chasing Pavements 30 La Roux — In For The Kill 29 Sam Sparro — Black & Gold 28 Taylor Swift — Love Story 28 Rihanna — Russian Roulette 27 The Script — The Man Who Can’t Be Moved 26 Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody 23 Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys — Empire State Of Mind 21 Leona Lewis — Happy 20 The Saturdays — Just Can’t Get Enough 16 T.I. ft. Rihanna — Live Your Life 11 The Saturdays — Forever Is Over  10 The Noisettes — Don’t Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go) 05 Britney Spears — Piece Of Me +4 04 Mr Hudson ft. Kanye West — Supernova -6

Chart music is a market place and there is always a need for fresh faced bubblegum pop peddlars. However with A Piece of Me is see Britney trying to move beyond that. I think it deliberately strikes a discordant note. With regard to Morrissey fortunately his songs rarely troubled the upper reaches of the charts

15/4/24 54 Jeff Buckley — Hallelujah 42 Michael Jackson — Man In The Mirror 29 Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys — Empire State Of Mind 29 James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado — Broken Strings 28 Kid Cudi vs. Crookers — Day ’n’ Nite 28 Adele — Chasing Pavements 27 La Roux — In For The Kill 26 Taylor Swift — Love Story 25 Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody 26 Rihanna — Russian Roulette 24 Sam Sparro — Black & Gold 23 The Script — The Man Who Can’t Be Moved 21 Leona Lewis — Happy 20 T.I. ft. Rihanna — Live Your Life 20 The Saturdays — Just Can’t Get Enough 15 Britney Spears — Piece Of Me +4 15 The Noisettes - Don't Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go) 14 The Saturdays — Forever Is Over -1 14 Basshunter — All I Ever Wanted  13 Mr Hudson ft. Kanye West — Supernova -2 13 Leona Lewis — Better In Time / Footprints In The Sand -2  00 Flo Rida ft. T-Pain — Low -1 I actually think Piece of Me is a 00s response to Come Together. I understand why some people dislike it but I think it is one of Britney Spears best songs

Been doing some research with a couple of CDs my daughter left laying around

Last Christmas was a double A side but most people will just think of the more popular track