Good afternoon.
Our family doctor is called Doctor Sue. Her family name is Happell and her now retired father was Dr. John - not the rock singer but a fully qualified medic. He also looked after my family, over the years. I am sure many of you have a similar relationship with the man or woman to whom you go with that nagging back-ache or something much more serious. My Doctor operates from a converted house; there is always a queue; and most of the receptionists follow that age-old tradition or being somewhere between down-right rude and just a bit rude. If we need surgery or specialisms we have to go to our local hospital.
Would it be better, we ask tonight, if GP surgeries like that were replaced with Polyclinics? They are larger, purpose-built centres that cope with many (that's where the 'poly' bit comes from, as I am sure Boris would be keen to point out to you) ailments and even do minor operations, offer psychiatric care and all sorts of other things. Marcus has been investigating and, having found it has nothing to do with poorly parakeets, has found some intriguing arguments for and against. We'll also be talking to Dr Tom who is running the consultation across London.
A cross London is what I fully anticipate when it hears our report on a woman's entirely legal efforts to have herself reinstated as a social worker, despite having been dismissed in the wake of the Victoria Climbie case. However, Ronke will lay the facts before you and let you decide. I may be wrong. I hope I am.
I hope Kensington & Chelsea know what they are doing. Many cyclists are, to me, little better than kamikazies in trouser-clips; a squadron of dive-bombers in day-glow helmets; maniacs in face-masks. Many ignore the rules of the road, traffic signals and no-entry signs. In Ken' and Chelsea, the powers that be have decided to take prompt and tough action - they are going to allow, endorse and even sanction the rape and molestation of our one-way rules by cyclists. It is an experiment but they said the same about Frankenstein and the Manhattan Project. Ken & Chelsea is a Tory Borough and the Tory leader, DC, does it too. I fear for our safety. Lewis Vaughan Jones risks life and limb for you at 6.
It wasn't the same lot of borough bounders but it might have been - they took £160 quid from a disabled man to help him with his parking-bay. It turns out to have been about as straight forward and upfront as pyramid
selling or Enron book keeping. Sangeeta gives you the numbing punchline.
Finally, following this theme of "It's dangerous out there", a young, multi-millionaire has blown not a small slice of his stash on swish and speedy cars. He's got a Roller, a Bentley... but not a driving licence. He is seeking to rectify that as I write. I'd go everywhere by Tube today, if i were you.
See you at 6 if any of us survive this madness. And were you to survive but get wounded, where would you go? It doesn't take a polymath to figure out that the answer may lie at the top of this blog and at the top of our topical programme tonight.
As I sip tea from my polymer cup, I wish you well and really do hope to see you at 6.
Alastair & Salma
PS - I banged on at length yesterday about the merits of the musical "Cabaret" only to realise, as the piece went out, that Suzanne Shaw was debuting in "Chicago". I think, when that run is over, she should have a stab at Sally Bowles' Berlin bio-pic. I know she'd love it and I'd feel less of a fool.
Tomorrow belongs to the apologist.
