THE FOG

Matthew Steeples asks: “Where does the victory of Obama leave the right?”   In the UK, David Cameron’s Conservative Party failed to secure a victory in 2010 and a wishy-washy coalition followed. It’s been a blessed...

The glorious colours of autumn   At The Steeple Times we love steam trains and, courtesy of Rex Leyland, we featured a video of one in August on Kew Bridge.   Today, with thanks to our television personality...

Hugo Istay discovers Jimmy Savile’s most unlikely advocates: The Daily Mail   Here are some quotes from that bastion of the country’s morals, The Daily Mail. Apparently Jimmy Savile had been collecting ones like these for...

Charles Mitford Cust asks: “Do the clocks really need to go back?”   Yesterday, once again, the clocks went back and now we are officially in winter. As is always the case on this sad annual...

A different side to Peter Rachman is revealed   Whenever the name Rachman is mentioned, the first things that come to mind are greed, extortion and intimidation. The word is so engrained in such that “Rachmanism”...

Gina Miller asks if today's “i” generation can still embody the proverbial maxim “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"   The hysteria and media attention around the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini...

Matthew Steeples discovers a map of London with a difference   On the 16th October, an actor named Adam Lilley Tweeted an image based on a simplified version of a map of the London Underground. The...

The Chief Whip erases mention of Jimmy Savile from his website   Yesterday, segments of the media shared an image of a poster taken from the website of the new Chief Whip of the House of...

A concrete firm whose boss is fixated on a rather tarnished name   I recall seeing a cement truck belonging to a company named Jim’ll Mix It parked in First Street, Chelsea several years ago. As...

Matthew Steeples discovers Michael Winner’s links to descriptions of unwelcome “out of towners”   My last linguistic rambling explored two words, “plebs” and “ladettes,” that, like Andrew Mitchell MP, truly need to be eliminated from our...

Matthew Steeples updates readers on John Goodman's return to jail   The conviction of John Goodman in West Palm Beach earlier this year was a tragedy for all concerned but the twists and turns that have...

The Tout lays into Britain’s biggest pests: mobile phone operators   The Tout would normally only comment on matters of a sporting nature and interest but apart from Abu Hamza’s wife and family continuing to live...

An event to support the unsung heroes in our community   On the 8th November, The Steeple Times will be the media partner for a fundraising event jointly hosted by Gina and Alan Miller and The...

In his first column as our rural affairs correspondent, Charles Mitford Cust tells of the stags rutting near his Devon home and discovers a remedy that sends mice on their merry way   Down here in...

Contrasting images of President Ahmadinejad   In a departure, this week we have two The Steeple Times pictures of the week. They were separately taken but both feature President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Whilst one shows...

The deportation of Abu Hamza and the story of Hassan Butt   It’s taken far too long but thankfully the day of Abu Hamza al-Masri’s deportation has arrived. This evil one-eyed Egyptian-born Sunni preacher, best known...

The spoof of Nick Clegg apologising hits the iTunes charts   “I’d like to take this opportunity to put things straight,” began the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, this week when he attempted to say sorry...

The “plight” of Pamela Burbery   The Steeple Times picture of the week has to be of Pamela Burbery, a pensioner from Birmingham.   Photographed for an article in the Daily Mail, this 76-year old told of how...

What’s in the overuse of “for me”?   This week in the Daily Telegraph there have been a number of letters regarding the use of the phrase:  “Can you just fill in this form for me?”...

The conviction of Asil Nadir   Last month I visited a house I’d heard much about over the years in the company of Ed Burrows, the personable managing director of Barnsdale Lodge in Rutland. That house,...

George Galloway MP backs Julian Assange   This morning’s The Independent carried the story of Julian Assange’s latest backer, George Galloway MP.   In a video podcast, Galloway suggests that the allegations against Assange should not be considered...

Sarah Tucker gives an update on goings on at the resort where Madeleine McCann vanished   Four hundred and thirty euros, one bedroom apartment, one week at the height of season at a luxury family resort...

Julian Assange’s supporters show their true colours   I have spent much of this week following the ludicrous story of Julian Assange and the asylum given to him by Ecuador. I have been to meet the...

Matthew Steeples gives his view on Julian Assange's having been granted asylum by Ecuador   I spent much of the day yesterday watching the Occupy News Network live video stream from outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in...

How might Julian Assange escape to Ecuador?   Now that Julian Assange has been granted asylum in Ecuador, what are his escape options?   The First Post suggests that Ecuador could make him their representative to the United...

FirstGroup win the West Coast Mainline rail franchise   It has just been announced that FirstGroup, the parent company who operate amongst others First Capital Connect and First Great Western, have beaten Virgin Rail and will...

A review of Fighting Season by Graham Lee   At school, one of my classmates was a chap named Graham Lee. We used to travel home together on the same bus from Lancaster and as both...

The brilliance of the Olympic closing ceremony   Last night, Great Britain excelled itself with a closing ceremony for the Olympics that was both bonkers and brilliant.   Boris Johnson danced to the Spice Girls and Lord Coe...

A bunch of utter loons get beaten by a bull   After the euphoria of the Olympics, we at The Steeple Times very much enjoyed receiving a video clip from Rex Leyland this morning.   Leyland assured me...

Celebrating the 2012 London Olympic Games   The Olympics have indeed brought chaos to London: Traffic has ground to a halt, terrorist plots loom large and the rich have fled the city for sunnier shores. Now,...

Gina Miller calls for senior members of the City regulators to leave   Sir,   Time Gentleman Please - time for senior members of the City regulators to leave:   How many scandals will it take before the government replaces...

A viral campaign to raise attention to male cancer. By Ellen Widdup   It’s an advertising campaign fronted by a beautiful model, with more then three million hits on YouTube and a nomination for Cannes Festival...

The sad story of Eva Rausing   Those who don’t have, it dream of it; those who have it, often put it to good use. Sadly, however, money doesn’t always necessarily bring happiness.   Lottery winners often go...

The resignation of Bob Diamond   Today, Bob Diamond finally bit the dust and resigned as chief executive of Barclays in a dramatic move designed to save the bank from further embarrassment in the wake of...

A visit to those supporting Julian Assange outside the Ecuadorean Embassy   Yesterday, as I walked to The Rib Room at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower with Alexandra Naylor, I came across a media camp opposite the...

The sale of Battersea Power Station to SP Setia and Sime Darby   Battersea Power Station has for so long has been the saddest landmark in London. Since it was decommissioned as a power station in...

A weekend of celebration   The launch of The Steeple TIMES today, 1st June 2012, coincides with a weekend that celebrates something far more significant.   Tomorrow, 2nd June, marks the 60th year of The Queen’s reign and...

Actor Tony Discipline amusingly tears up Boris Johnson’s utterly confusing ‘Stay Alert’ coronavirus lockdown revision statement Tony Discipline – best known for having played Tyler Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders – took to...

Sinking television A review of Julian Fellowes’s “Titanic”   Against better advice, I watched all four episodes of Julian Fellowes’s Titanic television drama. Nothing much happened in the first three episodes but unlike many others, I preserved...

The conviction of billionaire John Goodman   I have followed the trial of John Goodman with great interest in recent days and today’s verdict was not surprising given his lack of recollection of the tragedy that...

The nuisance conman who pounds the streets of Kensington & Chelsea   When an old man approaches you in the street complaining he’s lost his wallet or can’t afford a bed for the night, no decent...

My thoughts on the arrest of Charlie and Rebekah Brooks   Whilst growing up, at home, when my family spoke of “hacking” we were talking about taking the horses out into the countryside. Now, sadly,...