Two barrells, one after the other

As an actor I notice the recession possibly more than some. Spring may have arrived, but the dramatic arts have remained in hibernation and there's no sign of a thaw. The work scene is frozen solid and there's nary a paid job in sight. There is, though, the sound of gutless bleating as local authorities and government cut arts funding. Is Maynard Keynes' creation of the Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts completely forgotten? A reminder then! CEMA was founded in WW2 to ensure that the arts survived and provided the population with much needed relief in hard times. The existence of CEMA was the spur to the creation of the Arts Council of Great Britain (as it was then called) after the war. Now is NOT the time to back away from supporting the arts, but rather to redouble efforts to ensure that the UK continues to do what it does better than any other nation in the world.

On a wholly different topic, I'm delighted to learn from this evening's television news that the Commons have given Prime Minister Brown a smack in the kisser for his mealy mouthed, pusillanimous attitude to the Gurkhas and their right to settle in this country. If anybody offers to put their life on the line to help defend this country and its values, and we accept that offer, it is then utterly inexcusable to drive them away once they have performed that duty.