Untrustworthy

Jonathan Powell is Tony Blair's erstwhile Chief of Staff.

In his recent memoir, he describes his utter astonishment, which he fully expects the reader to share, that a farmer in Cumbria was able to speak English. As well as that there was a Special Branch of Dorset Constabulary, dealings with which he recounts in a style somewhere between Thomas Hardy and Laurie Lee.

He is now on course to become Chairman of the BBC Trust.