Quote of the day 19th August 2026

As per my article yesterday: many years ago I heard a speech by Councillor Eric Pickles, then the leader of Bradford Council, later the Rt Hon Eric Pickles, MP for Brentwood and Ongar and holder of various government offices including Conservative Chiarman.

He had been asked to talk about the press, and his speech included this line:

"If the press is drinking in the last-chance saloon, a wise government will think long and hard before calling time."

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