From the Spectator, an extract from Blair’s book that contains just too much information: Not just a Prime Minister, not just a global statesman, in A Journey Tony Blair also demonstrates he knows how to treat a girl: CHERIE: “I DEVOURED HER LOVE” “…that night she cradled me in her arms and soothed me; told me what I needed to be

BILLIE HOLIDAY : TRAGEDY AND DEFIANCE By Terry Liddle Ask the man on the street to name a famous woman jazz singer and it’s a fair chance he would name Billie Holiday. Even my 16 year old neighbour, who is into ear-grinding noise of the worst sort, has heard of her. And I’ve just been seen by a nurse in her thirties who loves Billie Holiday’s songs. Looking at Billie Holiday&rsqu...

Mr Blair’s former breathless lover will form the fully staffed Gordon and Sarah Brown Foundation, paid for by lucrative speaking engagements, which the Spectator revealed some weeks ago. He has accepted three pro-bono appointments - joining Queen Rania of Jordan’s Global Campaign for Education, working on a new programme to bring the internet to Africa and joining the board of Tim Bern...

TONY Blair claimed he ordered former foreign secretary Robin Cook to choose between his wife and his mistress after news of his affair broke in 1997.

Late Labour leader John Smith was described as a "stupendous toper" by Tony Blair, who believed his love of socialising led to him drinking "more than was wise"

When gender testing first came to the Olympics in 1966, Ukrainian track and field stars Tamara and Irina Press disappeared from the sports scene. Yet the methodology is still disputed. I'd like to suggest a quicker and easier test: identifying movie preferences. Generally speaking, women love films about loss and self-sacrifice (Love Story, Casablanca) whereas men prefer stories of conflict a...

Love, when legislated, becomes hate - John B, from the comments here. (This is a SQOTDBPD, or Samizdata Quote of the Day by Popular Demand.)...

It’s 40 years since the case of Lady Chatterley’s Lover was declared sub justice, so commenting on the trial amounted to contempt of court. Here’s how the Spectator circumvented the order at the time: The Prosecutors, The Spectator, August 26, 1960 As Penguin Books Ltd. have been summoned under the Obscene Publications Act, the case of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is now sub jus...

Ah, yes...just another 'moderate' Muslim, no? And I love the term 'innocent Muslims'. Just how many of the victims of 9/11 qualified as 'innocent in Rauf's eyes? Especially if they weren't Muslim? And it gets better. We're to blame, apparently, because Saddam Hussein used the Oil for Food money fo rweapons, palaces and new wood chippers and furnishings for t...

The Sunday Times (£) has news that Nick Clegg will not front his party’s ‘Yes to AV’ campaign next May. This makes sense. The deluge of abuse he received in Bristol yesterday was another indication that many have fallen out love with Clegg. The Lib Dem leadership fear that if Clegg heads the campaign it will descend into a referendum on Clegg and his decision to form a coali...