20/07/2017 This Week

This year, when you think summer vacation, think

See the real America, with expat Richard Bacon.

I've been witnessing President Trump's America.

And yes, it's an exciting time to be a journalist.

Don't you want to look at the Grand Canyon?

Well, at least it's not a walking holiday.

No, Miranda, it's the middle of the silly season

Retirement age going up, all these squabbles about public sector pay.

Even Levi Roots - he's hot - and the legendary Blowers have

Wake up, Liz, I think you need some Reggae Reggae Sauce.

It's the This Week National Vacation.

Welcome to This Week, where politics comes at a discount

and even the autocue is read more cheaply than on any other news

Unless, of course, it's read by a woman, in which case it'll be

Speaking of gender discrimination, news is breaking tonight that

George Osborne is to sue the BBC for choosing a woman

Since every other very well-paid job this year has gone

to our former Chancellor, Boy George will argue in court

that the only reason he was passed over for the Doctor Who role

Even though he did turn up for the audition in a rather smart

Speaking of those who'll do anything for a well-paid job on TV,

despite a complete absence of talent and being total strangers to hard

work, I'm joined on the sofa tonight by the "pile 'em high" and "sell 'em

cheap" of late night political discourse.

I speak, of course, of Liz #fourpercent Kendall

Your moment of the week? I have often been amused at how journalists

do not like to appear in the spotlight, and the BBC, which would

normally be shining the fierce beacon of truth into every dark

corner, did not enjoy the experience of publishing the salaries of some

of the people whom it employs, and found 100 good reasons why they

should not have published. They have resisted for a long time. It made me

think, if the salary of the Prime Minister were not revealed, it would

be regarded as an outrage, not least by the BBC. If women ministers were

paid less than male ministers, it would be regarded as an outrage, not

least by the BBC, so forgive me for enjoying this week. Almost to the

point of smugness! Where were you on the list? That is why it you work

for an independent production company. You spotted that! We did.

The BBC works in a competitive environment and it needs to pay its

talent. I think particularly when you have Netflix and Amazon prime

coming up. But what was very difficult was the huge differences

between what men and women earn, the fact that there were so few ethnic

minorities on the list, and the BBC has to wake up and take action. What

are you paid for this show? ?350. Worth every penny. Declared in the

register of members interests. What you have just told us is a living

example of gender discrimination. I think you need an agent. I think we

both need an agent. Now, are we living in a world

in which competent political leadership is as scarce

as the chances of my Aberdonian friend buying

the next round of drinks? It's certainly not the age

of political superheroes. The British people decided

Theresa May is not Wonder Woman and The Donald is often more

reminiscent of the President Macron

thinks he's Jupiter. But when the French unions take

to the streets this autumn he'll Here's Richard Bacon

on our fascinating but the sort of world where you might

expect one of these guys to swoop For the last few years,

I've been living in the great USA, Trump is portrayed by some

as an evil mastermind. This is a presidency

that blusters through. The Don is more of a clown, more

of a joker than Superman's nemesis. After a narrow victory,

President Trump began creating sideshows, not least

that drama with Russia, described by John Oliver as "stupid

Watergate". But my problem is that the soap

operas totally obscure the stuff You may not have noticed a report

this week from independent analysts which said that more civilians have

been killed in US-led bombing raids in Iraq and Syria in the six months

of Donald Trump's presidency than in the entirety

of Barack Obama's presidency. And that health care bill -

the independent congressional budget office said that if it had gone

through it would have taken health Back here in Blighty,

antiheroes have turned EU membership from an issue that people didn't

really care about into some sort of religious war,

dividing mother and son, The US and UK are caught in a web

where irrationality has prevailed, without the leadership to get them

out of it. The Republicans have no idea how

to handle Donald Trump, who I think will see

through his presidency And in Britain, the political class

seems as divided and confused over But maybe we should

be better informed. As a person who works in news,

I am trapped between absolutely loving the theatre of our times,

and not liking it at all. Richard Bacon has left his

superheroes at Area 52 in Whitechapel for us heroes

in the studio. Welcome back. Thank you, happy to be

here. Is it ever wise for a politician to say the people have

taken a wrong decision, as Richard was implying with Brexit and Mr

Trump? I don't agree with that. What's interesting to me is that

both Trump and Brexit were a symptom, actually, of economic and

social division within the countries. But they are also now the

cause of division. And what we really need to do is to address the

underlying problems and issues, rather than getting trapped in this

increasingly polarised debate in this country and abroad. But people

were actually speaking about deep concerns about how the economy was

working and how they were feeling left out. And I think it is wrong to

say that people, even though I disagreed with both and would have

voted differently in the States and here, I think it is wrong to say

people were too stupid and made the wrong decision. That isn't what I

said. But I do understand, you disagree with them but you think

they made the right decision. People were voicing concerns that the

economy wasn't working for them... You didn't agree but you understood.

That is a point. It was an expression of a concern, and the

challenge for people like me is to address the real concerns, rather

than allow the populist left or right to come up with something that

won't work. Again, as Richard is implying, are the voters will

informed on the big issues of which they vote? I don't think they are,

and I think the electorate nearly always gets it right. I think they

probably got it right in the case of Brexit as well. Trump? I am talking

about British voters. They were asked to vote twice within the space

of a year, so they voted for Brexit and then voted to have a very weak

government to implement Brexit. That, I think, is the foundation of

our problem. If we had a strong government which could have a clear

policy and be very certain about getting it through the House of

Commons, and the House of Lords, things would look different. I think

they looked pretty good before the general election. Brexit had been

voted on and most people understood that Article 50 went through the

House of Commons with the majority of 500 or something, a huge

majority. But it is the weakness of this government which has plunged us

into a big problem. People who think Brexit and Mr Trump world wrong

decisions, they are largely people who were always against these

decisions in the first place. That's true. We tend to think if a decision

does not go away it the wrong decision. I would not put it as

simply as wrong or right decisions. It is more that, having happened, I

think the Trump presidency is, let's be polite, net negative for America.

When you put everything together that is happening as a consequence

of Brexit, Brexit is net negative for Britain. I think people make

those decisions, some rationally, some sincerely, and some people,

particularly in the case of Trump, based on false information. Is there

evidence on the Brexit case that people regret the decision? No.

There are those people, and I am probably one, who would quite like

another referendum. I know people cared deeply about immigration but I

never got the impression that membership of the EU was a core

issue for most people. We have taken something they didn't care about

that much and turned it into a religion. Which bit has been turned

into a religion? The people who voted for Brexit are almost stubborn

about it. Having had the argument within their families and amongst

their friends, they are now wedded to it. And I think people are wedded

to Trump. No rational argument about economic data, the health care plan,

I done thing to get through because I think essentially you become

stubborn once you have argued passionately about something. I find

this surprising. I read the other day that Trump has the lowest rating

of any incumbent President after six months in office. So what are you

saying that people are stuck with him? They are not, they are reacting

against a flimsy presidency. Not so much the policies as the

incompetence. What percentage did he get in the election? 40-something,

not a significant number. His approval rating this year went down

to 36%, the lowest since Ford, but it is momentary. The margin is

small. It has not gone down that much. In some of those swing states

which he took from the Democrats, by two to one, his voters are saying he

is the change they need. You are right to say that people become

entrenched. Things feel, to me, as divided as they were a year ago.

Part of this is about people doubling down on their position.

Part of it is about social media, where people are talking to people

who think the same as them. And also this idea that any sense of

compromise, trying to understand another point of view and finding

common ground seems anathema in British politics and US politics,

which is why we are unable to bring people together. Trump's ratings are

in the dirt at the moment. They are basically going one way. Remarkably,

although his ratings are in the dirt, there is no sign of a

Democratic comeback. They could not even win Georgia congressional

District six, which is amazing. What has Trump achieved in six months? I

am not aware of anything. I am not aware that the wall is being built,

the abolition of Obama care has failed. I think some of the cuts in

public spending are beginning to move through, so there is a bit of

that. Lots of people voted for Trump. I spoke to them in America.

They thought he would turn out to be presidential once elected. I think

that now, that vain hope is disappearing. He seems to be in

permanent campaign mode. He seemed happier campaigning than attempting

to run the country. The number of scandals that are

emerging is absolutely breathtaking. Although he said no major

legislative achievements, there is something happening, I made this

point in the film, I worry that when we talk about Donald Trump Jr.

Having his meeting in Russia or how long Trump shakes someone's hands

for, we miss how many civilians have been killed in Syria and Iraq,

enormous numbers, more in six months than were killed in eight years of

Obama. The circus and theatre is overshadowing the stuff that's

affecting real lives. People get distracted with that stuff. Some

times that may be intentional on the administration's part. Of course it

is. Let me look at a wider point. This is a difficult, perhaps even a

defensive time of what you might regard the Liberal establishment of

the centre-left and the centre right. The Liberal establishment for

most of the post-war' period was used to getting its way - a mixed

economy, consensus on NATO, the special relationship with America,

Britain's membership of the European Union and so on. And now suddenly

with Brexit and Britain, and with Mr Trump in America, it's not getting

its way any more. It doesn't quite know... If you are always used to

getting your way, it's difficult when you don't get your way. It's

true. It's difficult when you have reached a position of success by

doing something in one way to have that success taken away and you have

to rethink what you're doing. I think the biggest issue was that we

were far too slow to realise the consequences of a global economy on

people's lives. Wages stagnating before the crash, parts of the

country... Part of the reason we were too slow to realise is that the

Liberal establishment, as I am describing it, of the left and the

right, were doing very well out of globalisation. It wasn't a problem

for the establishment, they were doing well. That's true. They were

in jobs. They'd gone into global businesses, they suddenly had

endless supplies of cheep labour to be the nanny and housekeeper and so

on -- cheap. The pain was there but they didn't feel it. It's

interesting to me that the Liberal establishment and the rest of the

European Union was so used to getting its way that whenever things

went against it and lots of referendums in different countries

did go against the Liberal establishment, the people were

simply asked to vote again until they got it right from the point of

view of their Liberal establishment. It shows that Britain is different

from the rest of the European Union. When we had a referendum, En

seriously by the political class. -- it was taken seriously by the

political class. It was in your manifesto, as well as in ours, but

this was going to be a Brexit that included leaving the single market

and the customs union. We did take it seriously. There is a marked

difference between the way the liberal establishment reacts to

Britain than elsewhere in Europe. Macron, although portraying and

being an outsider, out with the parties, you know, I wonder if he is

a person who wants to provide real answers to globalisation, rather

than pretending... There is a lot of these slight shoulders? Indeed. Any

great leaders around at the moment? Are there any great leaders around

at the moment - it depends how you define great leader, Merkel is very

successful. How do you define great, it comes to your point of view. From

the Russian point of view, Putin. Exactly. I could think that both,

whether anyone disagrees or agrees, I could say that both Margaret

Thatcher and Clement Atlee were great. You can define greatness

whether or not you agree. I'm sure that for the vast majority of the

Russian people, Putin is delivering and I think he has a pretty weak

hand of cards. Delivering economically? ! ? The economy's shot

to pieces, entire Le dependent on oil. Act which willy, the Armed

Forces are rotten to the core. With this very poor hand he's playing a

tremendous game. We'll have to leave it there.

One of the strongest leaders was actually an authoritarian. I went

for a nice guy in Canada, an true. Thank you, nice to see you.

Now, it's late, still shaking hands with Donald Trump late.

Yes, President Macron of France is still caught up in a game

of handshake chicken with The Donald, with

But don't worry, Monsieur Jupiter, because waiting in the wings

is broadcasting legend, Blowers Blofeld, here to put

It's the last edition of the series and we really don't give

In fact you can go Twitinsane, because we really don't give a Snap.

Now, Theresa May has been in touch wanting to know how much

Little does she know, we're so poor we can't even

The Prime Minister is also furious that the new Doctor Who is a woman.

Apparently Mr May says that being a Time Lord

And Theresa says her Phillip is never wrong.

Except when it comes to calling a snap election.

Anyways, speaking of bargain basement telly,

here's Miranda Green, Quentin Letts and Kevin Maguire

# We're all going on a summer holiday.

# Fun and laughter on a summer holiday...

The This Week round-up is always a humiliating business.

Terrible production values, the awful costumes, and then the BBC

says it's going to tell the world how much it pays its presenters.

I can't have everyone knowing the pittance I get.

Luckily, This Week's accounting wizards don't

like transparency any more than I do, so they've scrapped

all this business of paying cash and they're paying us in perks

And they've given me a luxury holiday instead.

# We're all going on a summer holiday.

Ah, it will be a relief to get away from all the Tory backbiting.

It was hard to keep up with those Cabinet leaks.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, was in the firing

line this week with claims that he had at a Cabinet meeting

described some public sector workers as overpaid.

Cabinet meetings are supposed to be a private space in

I'm the Chancellor, you would expect me to put any

discussion about public sector pay in the context of the fiscal

We are in the middle of the summer season with lots of warm Prosecco.

I wasn't there, but lots of parties, tittle-tattle, gossip.

None of that riff-raff where I'm going.

An upmarket holiday with no hoi-polloi.

# We are all going on a summer holiday.

Shush woman, you sound like a fishwife.

David Davis was off on a mini break of his own to Brussels this week,

The Europeans want to get down to the nitty-gritty,

We'll now delve into the heart of the matter.

We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order

As you know, our negotiating groups will work on citizens' rights

and the financial settlement and other separation issues.

I love to feel the breakers between me toes.

Oh, my Lord, good grief, it can't be, can it?

I thought this was meant to be an exclusive resort.

This isn't some Lib Dem nudie enclave.

The Tories are looking forward to a summer of warm

Prosecco and plotting, while the Labour MPs are setting off

First, the party leaders had to squeeze in their final despatch

box ding dong at Prime Minister's Questions.

Corbyn attacked May on public sector pay and Tory divisions over Brexit.

Mr Speaker, the reality is, wages are falling,

the economy is slowing, the construction sector

in recession, trade deficit widening and we face crucial

Isn't the truth that this divided Government is unable to give this

country the leadership it so desperately needs

The PM avoided the issue of party unity but sent the MPs off

for the summer with a list of achievements

I'll tell the Right Honourable gentleman the reality.

The reality is, he's always talking Britain down

And let's look at the record of the Conservatives in Government.

Three million more jobs, four million people out of paying

That's a record to be proud of and you only get it

It better not be more than me, woman, the Prime Minister said

If they are paying me more than you, that's because This Week is more

modern than the rest of the BBC because on This Week

We have seen the way the BBC is paying women less for doing

I want to see women paid equally with men.

The only reason we know about this though is

because the Government required the BBC to publish these figures.

Will Mrs May still be in the same job at the end of the summer?

And not many takers for the role of Lib Dem leader.

Twickenham's twinkle toes is living the Government's raising

I'm ambitious for this country and I'm ambitious for our party.

In difficult times, we've shown enormous resilience.

I now believe that we can fight our way back, break

through and make an enormous success of our party.

Ah, the sun is shining, the Blue Nun is flowing

Let's put all the drinks on his tab and have a really good one.

Thanks to Brixton Beach, an urban beach in the heart

And with us now the lovely Miranda Green and former SNP

How the worm turns. How harsh. Remember the build-ups you used to

get, now you are just "former". It's an outrage. The railway bit of that,

nationalised by Portillo railways! The Brexit talks. We haven't had a

breakthrough, they seem to be a bit tough, do we have to grow up? It was

always going to be like this? Maybe it was always going to be like this.

There possibly ought to be a bit of growing up in the Department for

Brexit as well. It's a very odd way to behave. The Europeans keep saying

that they don't have enough information, not least about

Britain's objectives. We really need to get that clear. There is a very

little amount of time. Now they are saying they're rather surprised how

well informed and well prepared the British Civil Service is? Marvellous

in that case. Civil Service exactly. There are problems with the process

and personalities involved, and because the election result was so

inconclusive, there has to be doubt about what Britain really wants. I

was interested in what Michael was saying about the electorate never

being wrong. I strongly agree, but one of the things from our election

result is that the country isn't really sure about wanting harsh

lines in dividing from the EU, not least on the single market,

according to the polling data. We should be thinking again about our

objectives. It is a consistent line. When I was visiting Germany, senior

politicians consistently said they were astonished at how badly briefed

our ministers were. They have a role in the civil service and they will

do the best job they can, but we have to begin believing it run we

hear from multiple sources that the Conservative government Brexit

ministers do not seen to be across their brief and making a coherent

case. These people have come back with the propaganda from the

continent which they are very happy to repeat on national television. It

is all part of trying to tomorrow lies us. Our objective is clear. All

of us agree on it, it is to have our cake and eat it. We do not yet know

how much cake we can have and that will emerge during negotiations. It

is not just people involved in politics. There is serious concern

amongst businesses, too, have out what the future holds. The

businesses who wanted us going into the euro? Businesses who are worried

about how they will plan and export and trade over coming months. My

view is that we urgently need to talk about a transition deal,

because I can't see any way that we will get EU citizens, the final bill

we pay and a future trade deal done within essentially just over a year,

because this has to be ratified. I agree. So we need a time-limited

transitional deal that gives business certainty, and I hope that

is what we focus on. Is that not where we are heading, particularly

because the British government did not get the mandate it wanted, does

not have the majority wanted, and it is not a United executive in the way

that Mrs May hoped she would have after having won an election. She

has a divided Cabinet. The goals might be the same, but it seems some

kind of transitional arrangement is now more on the cards. Perhaps. Some

people think that no deal is on the cards more than a few weeks ago. I

hope you are right about a transitional deal. Liz's point about

how desirable this is for business, when the Government invites business

leaders to talk about what business needs, and it really is not the big

corporations that were pushing for the euro, but people who employ

people in the euro -- in the UK and keep growth going, they are given

short shrift by David Davis and told, you can't have it. It might be

what you want but it is not what we are going for. They came away in

total despair. They were talking about serious consideration of how

we stay in the customs union, for example. Then we could not make our

own free deals. Indeed. That is precisely the conversation that was

had. David Davis, as I understand, told them what they wanted was not

compatible with leaving the European Union. That is a very particular

interpretation of how the UK voted when it voted for Brexit. If you

look at the polling data, it is moving towards wanting the benefits

of the single market and the customs union, and you have to take that

seriously. Evenly Fox was talking about a transitional deal. On Sunday

he stuck to a couple of months and he has now moved more towards a

couple of years. What are the odds of Mrs May surviving to the

conclusion of Brexit talks? I would say less than 50%. I say that partly

because I think resolving this very question we are discussing at the

moment will be very difficult, unless she is replaced. But also

because, as we get towards the end of the Brexit talks, the prospect of

a general election will be looming. And the Conservatives go most of

this Parliament, which may be one, two or three years, with the wrong

leader, that would be a very odd position to be in. In the immediate

aftermath of the election, I think she gave thought to packing it in.

And then she concluded that if she did that she would go down as a

complete failure as a Prime Minister. She wants to salvage

something. The one thing she can salvage is if she brings Brexit

talks to it accessible conclusion. She then stands down and the Tories

have an election, and she has a different place in the history

books. Is that realistic? Michael may be able to tell us more about

this. The big question for the Tories is, is that decade civil war

-- the decade-long civil war over Europe going to top their reputation

for wanting to be the party in government? For some people, even a

transitional deal is trying to thwart Brexit, they believe. Are

they going to vote against that, risking an election and a Labour

government? Where does the balance lie? My sense is that there will be

enough who will go to the wall over Brexit. Even at the risk of losing

an election? Absolutely. If there was a Tory leadership contest before

the end of the year, who would win? There seems to be a certain amount

of momentum behind some sort of David Davis candidacy. But not now.

They are being careful to not do it now. Young cardinal vote for old

Popes. Indeed. There is a lot of chat about what the next general --

the next generation of Tories want. There is speculation, including from

David Davis. People forget that he was way ahead until the conference.

You know on Facebook where it says, this is what you were doing a year

ago. It is always interesting and reminds us how transitory and

ephemeral these things are. When we looked at the Tory leadership

prospects, Theresa May was nowhere close six months before the

election. Nowhere. Absolutely not at all. Then she emerged as a

compromise candidate and was then trumpeted as strong and stable.

There is a lot of trumping going on tonight. Now it is recess. Jeremy

Corbyn once everybody in the Labour Party campaigning in 75 key

marginals. Which will you be campaigning in? Perhaps the East

Midlands, lots of marginal seats there that we desperately need to

win back. Will you give up your summer to go campaigning for Mr

Corbyn? I am not planning on going away so there is nothing I love more

than campaigning. I think those seats that have voted Labour in the

past, traditionally working-class constituencies, in the towns, not

the big cities, we have two B laser focused on those. Have we reached

peak Corbyn, or has he only just begun? I think there is probably

more to go. That must cheer you up. She said it with a song in her

heart! And a spring in her step. Who knows? Politics is so volatile at

the moment that people would be fully to predict. I think that the

more the Tories go on with this open infighting, I have to say the tin

ear that Theresa May had in PMQs this week, saying that work is the

best route out of poverty. Yes, it is but work is no longer a guarantee

of not living in poverty. So many people in work me benefits. So that,

as well as the infighting. The Chancellor has a tin ear as well,

many people think. How is a Vince Cable the man to revive the Lib

Dems? He is so old he was my tutor at university. That is old. I am

sure that was enjoyable for both of you. One of us fell asleep. I think

age is fine. We need wise heads. What has cheered me up about his

coronation today is the idea that he actually wants to do more than talk

about the Lib Dems. He wants to talk about the gaping hole on the left.

The Tories crowned Theresa May without a contest. What happened to

the contest? I didn't think it matters that much. In opposition,

think it is different. The Lib Dems are quite a small party, let's face

it. I think there is a big question to which the Lib Dems are part of

the answer, but I think it is healthy that Vince Cable has

acknowledged that the Lib Dems can't be the whole answer. And Liz's wing

of the Labour Party is the other crucial part of the answer. It is a

long march to come back, a long time to get anywhere near where you were

in 2010. Is someone who will be 80 the next election really the future?

We do not know when the next election will be. I think that age

is far less of a barrier now. More interestingly, I think, is how the

Lib Dems are going to honour some of their campaign promises, like

stopping a hard Brexit, for example. There are only 12 of them. Exactly.

What about your old party, your record under attack in Scotland, a

diminished force in Westminster, and Nicola Sturgeon was the other big

loser on the night, after Mrs May. Obviously, it was not a dream

election, was it. But they still won. They still won more seats than

all the other parties combined, 30 seats more than all the others.

Direction is everything in politics, and a second referendum seems

further away than ever. I look at the age profile of those who support

independence, and they are young. There is a huge lead among the under

30s for independence. The direction of travel of Scottish politics is

obvious. If you look in the sweep of history, it is not moving towards

more unionism. Are you going to run again? I am pondering that. It is

upsetting, losing, but if you become an MP it is a fascinating job and

you can do good things. Either way, you can still come and see us. I

will look forward to it. Thank you, both.

So, when is it time to call it a day?

Theresa May must have thought about it after June 8th

Jeremy Corbyn thought about it a year ago but after last month's

election I'll bet he's glad he didn't succumb.

Choo Choo here called it a political day to embark on a glistening career

on the railways and has never looked back.

Four Percent Liz thought the voters were going

to call her day but she won with an even bigger majority.

Calling it a day is not as easy as it seems,

which is why we're putting it in the Spotlight.

parliamentarians are calling it a day for the summer.

But is the Palace of Westminster more desperate for a recess

It gave Margot James the cold shoulder yesterday.

It is quite appalling that some people found out

The situation lighting-wise has slightly throwm me off.

Across the pond, legislators might have to hold tight

because the Donald refuses to call it a day on his battle

We shouldn't leave town until this is complete,

But does the President simply struggle when it

Meanwhile, spare a thought for those aged 39-47,

who have just been told they will not be able

to retire on a state pension until they are 68.

We have to face up to the fact that if we live longer we can't expect

National treasure Henry Blofeld has decided to retire,

So when is the right time to call it a day?

And we're delighted to have Blowers with us now.

Welcome to the programme. It is great to see you. You once said that

you would never retire but you have decided to call it a day. Did you

just think, this is the time? What I said was that if I did retire I

would drink myself to death even quicker than I will anyway. This is

not good news. That's why I haven't had a drink for nine weeks. To prove

yourself wrong? Absolutely. What made you think it was time to pack

it in? I was in India for two Test match is, and towards the end I made

a silly mistake to do with my eyes. It did not matter in the scheme of

things, I don't think, and then I thought, come on, you are nearly

100. I am only 78 but I feel I am nearly 100 most of the time. I am

not going to get better, only worse. I am 78 next month. I have got to go

pretty quickly. Go now, because then I can control my going, I can go

when I am in control of it, and also when one hopes people will feel nice

things about you rather than, why didn't he go five years ago? Which

has happened. People have been so nice to me, and so relieved that I

am going and they won't have to listen to me again, they have been

charming and falling over themselves. I think the key thing

that you said is that if you choose when you are going to go, you are in

control. No one is pushing you out. You have decided. Getting sacked is

boring anyway. If you go on your own terms, people seem to think, in my

case, that I am not exactly a hero but at least I do not have a go all

over my face. People will have fond memories, not memories of, that was

the day he screwed up. There is another thing, too. Cricket

commentary, like anything in life, is involved in the evolutionary

process. It is a very different form of commentary now to when I started,

when it was more formulaic. Commentators in those days were not

involved in a continuous conversation with what they

summarise. It meant I could do what I am Rob Lee quite good at, which is

to describe things. I get less and less opportunity to do that, which

was another reason I felt the time had come. Because the nature of the

commentary was changing. There is a lot of what I think of as happy talk

in the commentary now, whereas when you started there was some rather

nicely crafted sentences of description of what was going on.

You had to learn. John, you remember John. I am the last existing

commentator, not existing, but I think I am the last person still

commentating who worked with him. He was a great man, wonderful phrases.

I remember him describing a balcony on the pavilion at Old Trafford. A

balcony with a portly iron railing. None of the rest of us would have

thought of that word until 1am. The language was wonderful. That is why

as a kid I would always have the television on, watching the Test

match, with the sound down and have the radio commentary on, because the

commentary was so much better. I don't think it was me. We mustn't

forget the others. CMJ unfortunately fell off his perch and never got the

plaudits which I have got because I have lived on. He has chosen his

time to go and has gone in great style and with dignity and in

control. Yes. You did the same, in the end. I am in a different place.

I am very motivated by work and I hope I will have the wisdom to

choose the moment as well. And I don't know whether I will. Liz, is

it important to know when to go? People hang on, politicians hang on.

I wonder whether they will do even more so now. Look at all of the

turnarounds. David Davis, Jeremy Corbyn, Vince Cable. Why not hold

on. It could still be my turn? I think we will see fewer graceful

exit and more people hanging on in case things turn around. I have a

suspicion that you are not actually going to stop working and you will

do other things. I am like Michael, I loathe getting up in the morning

if I have nothing to do. I love having something to worry. I think I

will work lots more. Fondly enough, since I have told people I am no

longer doing cricket commentary, they have offered me lots of things

to do. We are delighted you have made time to Mike and we look

forward to the book coming out, which is going to be called? Reed

Over And Out. I wonder why that? That's your lot for tonight, folks,

because we're calling it But don't worry, folks,

because we're back in September, somewhere between Question Time

and Breakfast News. In the meantime, we're hosting

the This Week summer party. No, you're not invited

but Theresa May will be over in a bit, along with half

the Cabinet and their long knives. Look, there's chilled Blue Nun

on tap and as much warm After all, we have to blow our

enormous budget on something. Talking of blowing our enormous

budget, we've hired Levi Roots to play us out with his

Reggae Reggae hits album. # Don't worry

# Be happy # Here's a little song I wrote

# You might want to sing it note for note

# Don't worry # Be happy

# In every life we have some trouble # When you worry, you make it

bubbles # Don't worry

# Be happy # Don't you worry now

# Don't worry # Don't you, don't you worry now

# Don't worry # Be happy

# Just be happy. # When I think of the world

we inhabit, everyone will think, Yeah. And it wasn't,

it was done by hand