Today’s birthdays

Mr Bruce Kent, campaigner for nuclear disarmament, is 88; Mr Jack Bailey, Secretary, MCC, 1974-87, 87; Lord Wakeham,

Chairman, Press Complaints Commission, 1995-2002, 85; Miss Prunella Scales, actress, 85; Mr Libor Pesek, conductor, 84; Sir Hugh Annesley, Chief Constable, Royal Ulster Constabulary, 1989-96, 78; Mr Hubert Chesshyre, Clarenceux King of Arms, 1997-2010, 77; Dame Esther

Rantzen, television producer and presenter, 77; Sir Stephen Waley-cohen, Chairman, RADA,

71; Gen Linda Bond, General of The Salvation Army, 2011-13, 71; the Earl of Wemyss and March 69; Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division, 68; Miss Meryl Streep, actress, 68; Mr Humphrey Ocean, painter, 66; Mr Michael Kinane, former flat racing jockey, 58; Mr Dan Brown, author, 53; and

Ms Aileen Mcglynn, former Paralympic tandem cyclist; three times Paralympic gold medallist, 44. Today is the anniversary of the issue of Queen Elizabeth I’s Prayer Book in 1559.