All the news that's fit to print

I had dinner last night with a work colleague living in the USA. She was amused by UK news headline compared with those in America. While much of the USA media targets global issues and political debate, UK news stories tend to focus on celebrity, scandal and petty Government shortcomings. It was hard not to agree. Today’s headlines are filled with stories about royalty, foolhardy football players, lost data files and a failing regional bank.

Stories are breaking on a weekly basis of another Government department losing sensitive personal data files in the mail. On Monday we learnt that the details of three million candidates for the driving theory test were missing. Earlier this month the tax office lost discs containing financial records and private address details of 25 million people.

Prince William’s long time girlfriend, Kate Middleton, has reportedly moved into Clarence House. The couple split earlier this year after weeks of media speculation that a royal engagement was eminent. They reconciled in July when William invited his ex to a memorial concert staged in memory of his mother. The papers claim Kate has handed over the keys of her Chelsea flat to her sister.

A coroner’s inquest into the death of Princess Diana is also dominating headlines. So far we’ve heard the Diana wanted another marriage “like a rash on her face,” while today’s papers told us how she left used contraception pill packets lying around the cabin of Dodi Al Fayed’s yacht. Even the inquest’s scope reads like an editorial plan for a weekly gossip rag.

I find it staggering that yet another official enquiry is being conducted into her death. Since 1997 at least three official investigations have been held. A two-year French investigation concluded that chauffeur Henri Paul was drunk, on prescription drugs and driving too fast, after hearing evidence from 300 witnesses and filing 6,000 page of evidence.

UK Police then investigated allegations that her death was not an accident. Their report, published last year, ran to some 832 pages and concluded that nothing more than a tragic accident had occurred. Sir Gordon Downey also conducted a UK Parliamentary Inquiry in media standards following the publication of photos from the Paris crash scene.


While too many UK news stories are simply tabloid journalism, the English clearly encourage such a tone with some odd behaviour. Perhaps the most staggering story making headlines this evening is a rape allegation involving Manchester United Football Club. The club staged a festive function for its players, to which several hundred young female guests were invited. Wives and girlfriend were not invited.

Where else in the world would Christmas be considered a credible excuse to lock dozens of testosterone-fueled sportsmen in a room filled with unlimited alcohol and hand-picked women? One cannot help wondering what club management were thinking as they organized the event. Staff Christmas parties in this country seem to be unusually debauched drunken affairs - more so than anything I’ve experienced elsewhere.

I've also noticed that the English have an odd obsession with fancy dress at this time of year. Few Christmas functions pass without some form of costume play. In recent weeks I’ve watched armies of Santa’s and other associated characters wander by most evenings. My company’s own party had a nautical theme this year. I went dressed as a Fishmonger complete with stripped apron, beanie and gumboots. Last year’s theme was “Las Vegas”. On this occasional I dressed as a package tour tourist in sandals, loud Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap. They don't call it the 'silly season' for nothing.