FOUR STARS
STEVE Richards is about as hot on impressions as you and me. His John Bercow is a gruff shout, Boris Johnson a plummy fluster and his Hilary Benn a more patronising take on the tones of his late dad. His brain similarly cannot cope with having two lefties on the scene called Owen, and mixes up Labour leadership candidate Smith with smooth-faced writer Jones. To hear Richards being described on the way out as a leftie himself is curious, as it is to hear a ripple of groans through the audience when the names Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon are mentioned.
I find myself doing the same when someone refers to Corbyn as “unelectable” (a presumptuous second-guessing of the electorate) and when Richards trots out the phrase “one-party state” in reference to the SNP. The latter is said with a spot of mischief. The only ideology that motivates Richards is a love of politics.
He’s written columns across the political spectrum, presented GMTV’s Sunday show for over a decade and been the voice of Radio Four’s Week In Westminster for an eternity.
And despite the staid atmosphere, his insights ignite. He’s likely had the time of his life this year, in which politics has become less rock’n’roll, more a nasty fight at a punk gig.
Referendums, he says, reveal that most Shakespearean of qualities – loyalty. Corbyn’s contortions over the EU vote (“What the EU did to Greece is terrible”, “What the EU are planning with TTIP is terrible”, “Vote, erm... Remain!”) are due to the fact he’s never acted on loyalty to anything but his own convictions. Corbyn, he says, is a Bennite – obsessed by the concept of sovereignty – just like Michael Gove, a man who is unlikely to spend another chummy Boxing Day with one-time pal Cameron. This is top-drawer, insider gold that ends far too soon.
Until Aug 28, Gilded Balloon at the Museum (V64), 6pm (60mins), £12, £10 concs. Tel 0131622 6552.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here