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No holidays planned yet but I have some London concerts booked; Kim Gordon, Patti Smith, Black Uhuru, Stevie Nicks, PJ Harvey, Saucerful of Secrets and hopefully some more. Also Sussex at Lords in a few weeks time.

I know the Velvets reformed to tour in the early 90s but I have always thought that this album was the closest we got to a proper reunion of their main creative talents. It's a great record.

The 70s. I think most of my values were established then; heavily influenced by punk and Rock Against Racism. They really haven't changed that much and I have always questioned authority, particularly when it was me, as a senior manager, that had it.

He was a great character and I chatted to him a few times in the Sportsman. Condolences to his friends and family.

How about Young V&A? https://www.vam.ac.uk/young. It used to be the Museum of Childhood but re-opened last year with lots of interactive stuff. It's in Bethnal Green.

Yes, it was a heavy defeat but I think it was a full strength Spurs side.

Sad news. Does anyone remember his testimonial against Spurs March/April 76? As I recall Marsh, Venables and Mullery played for us. I think Spurs took over the North Stand as they were to do again a couple of years later.

I used to hate those trousers. I was forced to wear them at every family event with a shirt and and an unmatching tank top, hair glued in place with Cossack spray.

I find Cricket very different. As a spectator I often enjoy a great batting or bowling performance from an opponent. With the Albion, I can appreciate a good performance from an opposing player but I can't enjoy it. I would always enjoy a close, skilful, test series that England lose to a...

Potter was part of the progression that took us to where we are but to have him back would be a major step backwards. Won't and shouldn't happen.

Many years ago I worked in Hatchards in the Lanes. My approach there was to make sure I was always available but to leave customers to approach me. We were encouraged to get to know the stock well and allowed to take books home so that we could read them and make recommendations but only if...

A significant part of society fetishise and romanticise guns in a way that is unique to the US. They see them as a symbolic statement of personal freedom and a solution to problems.

It’s a horrible prospect but I think if you could spend some time in Putin’s head you would find a mixture of 1980’s KGB anti-western paranoia and Peter the Great fantasising with a bit of Stalinism thrown in. His increased self-isolation means that he may well fully believe the stuff he says...

I have absolutely no illusions about Putin’s ruthlessness or the amount of blood he would shed to keep himself in power. He is a monster ,however I don’t see how he gets any benefit from this attack. It happened in a week in which a sham election was followed by a rally in Red Square. The aim...

Yes, a lot of people are always up for complex theories and if I hear about false flags my BS detector is on overdrive as they are the staple diet of conspiracy theorists. Russia has been a dysfunctional country for many years and I speak as someone who has spent time there. Surveillance levels...

They were about intimidation and surveillance which are basics for authoritarian regimes. These regimes are also not noted for the agility and responsiveness of their command structures. I think that cultural events had not been considered a security priority. This proved to be a poor piece of...

Probably nearer A than B but I doubt we will ever know. He may be primarily focussed on the possibility of Ukrainian sabotage-type operations in Russia, rather than the threat from Islamic groups, and making the assumption that they would target infrastructure. The country is on a war footing...

I don't buy the idea of a false flag operation. Popular opinion doesn't exist as a major factor in Russian politics. Even 1917 was more of a coup than a popular revolt. Putin needs the continued support of powerful individuals in the military, in his own government and those owning and...

I don't believe that most Russians seriously believe what their governments say. They have just learnt to appear to play along with whatever who is in power says until they see that their time is up and then do the same with who or whatever replaces them. They won't believe this but few will...

I should probably be more precise about what I meant by public spaces being secular. I was talking about signs and comms from governmental and public bodies as well as organisations delivering public infrastructure, like transport. Religious festivals are different as are faiths paying for...