Speaking of Zadie Smith, I am currently reading a proof copy of her husband, Nick Laird's first novel, Utterly Monkey. A stonking good read, tightly written, as only poets can write, a great caper crying out for a movie deal. A lot of the features of the protagonist seem autobiographical: the Northern Irishness, corporate city lawyer, attactive black lover, the blue SMEG refrigerator. Recommended.

I am just not going to vote Labour simply because they are not Tories. The Tories are nasty shits who trade on the politics of fear - like the Neocons in the States. But Labour under Blair has become Tory Lite, with his carte blanche promise to Bush in May 2002 to go to war in Iraq , no matter what; and much more which has must have his forebears turning in their graves. There is a lot of innocent blood on Blair's hands: and I for one will not collaborate in those crimes by voting for him on May 5.
If Labour were to sack Blair and replace him with someone who was opposed to the illegal invasion of Iraq, I would probabaly vote for them. If the Tories win the election, I will leave Britain.